AUTUMN ISSUE 2021 HEY KIDS! Check out our competition on the back page
Helmeted Honeyeaters page 4
FRIENDS OF THE HONEYEATER Learn about the
EASTERN BARRED BANDICOOT page 2
INSIDE »
• Elephant corner
• Animal cooking
• Woodlands track
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FRIENDS
IN UNLIKELY
PLACES
ANIMALS AT THE ZOO AND IN THE WILD HAVE DEVELOPED FRIENDSHIPS WITH DIFFERENT SPECIES. THEY PROTECT EACH OTHER FROM PREDATORS AND PROVIDE COMPANIONSHIP.
HI FRIENDS!
I’m the Eastern Barred Bandicoot. Unfortunately we are listed as extinct in the wild. Our mainland population lives on predator-free islands where we have protection from Guardian Dogs who scare away potential threats. Look out for me on the activity pages.
OSTRICHES AND ZEBRAS often travel together because they can warn each other of possible danger. The ostrich looks out for the zebra’s predators and the zebra listens for animals that might threaten the ostrich.
Zooper Kids is published for Zoos Victoria by Hardie Grant Media MANAGING DIRECTOR Nick Hardie-Grant ACCOUNT DIRECTOR Scott Elmslie ACCOUNT MANAGER Hannah Louey EDITOR Georgia Lejeune
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Zoos Victoria PO Box 74, Parkville Vic 3052 P 03 9340 2780 / F 03 9285 9390 E members@zoo.org.au W zoo.org.au
DESIGN Dallas Budde, Natalie Lachina, Kate Slattery
Connect with us! Have you visited us lately? Share your visit with us and be sure to use the hashtag #zoomember
DID YOU KNOW?
Complete this friendship quiz to find out which animal you would be friends with.
A zebra’s stripes are completely individual and unique; you’ll never see the same pattern twice.
1W HAT SORT OF FRIEND ARE YOU? A. LOYAL
B. SELF-ASSURED
C. FUNNY
D. CONFIDENT
2 HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR BEST FRIEND? A. FRIENDLY
B. PEACEFUL
C. PRACTICAL
D. ORGANISED
3 WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU LOOK FOR IN A FRIEND?
D ZEBRAS GIRAFFES ANOp en Range Zoo
that live at Werribee ether on the spend a lot of time tog along well. get y the and Savannah
A. BRAVE
B. RELIABLE
C. CHEERFUL
D. SOCIAL
4 WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN COMMON WITH YOUR FRIEND? A. ENERGETIC
B. SOCIABLE
C. FUN
D. PLAYFUL
ALPACAS AND CHICKENS can live together in harmony. Alpacas are protective by nature and will keep chickens safe from predators – such as foxes and snakes – that might make their way into the enclosure.
ANSWER: Mostly As = dog; mostly Bs = elephant; mostly Cs = monkey; mostly Ds = meerkat.
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DOG loyal, friendly, brave and energetic
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MONKEY cheerful, Printed on FSC certified paper with vegetable-based inks. Zoos Victoria is a carbon-neutral organisation. ®
funny, practical and fun
ELEPHANT reliable, self-assured, peaceful and sociable
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MEERKAT confident, organised, social and playful
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MAKE YOUR OWN
HELME TED HONEY EATER
CORNER bookmark 1
2
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Fold the paper in half (corner to corner) so that it forms a large triangle.
Fold the bottom right point to meet the top point of the triangle. Repeat on the other side.
Open the two flaps you just folded to form a big triangle again.
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Fold down one side of the top point to meet the bottom fold.
Fold the right flap up and tuck it over the fold. Repeat with the other side.
Now you have the shape of the corner bookmark. Time to decorate.
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Use a marker to draw on the Helmeted Honeyeater’s black feathers.
Stick on a small triangle for a beak and googly eyes (or draw on the eyes).
WHAT YOU’LL NEED A4 paper Scissors A glue stick Coloured paper/ colouring pens Googly eyes (optional)
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The Helmeted Honeyeater has lost its colour. Bring some brightness back to our winged friend with coloured pencils. Try giving it a new style.
FACT FILE
COLOUR ME IN!
HELMETED HONEYEATER Eats: insects, nectar and plant sap
Characteristics: highly territorial
Where they live: Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve
The biggest threat they face is: loss of habitat
DID YOU KNOW? The Helmeted Honeyeater is the official faunal emblem for the state of Victoria.
Their conservation status is: Critically Endangered
CAN YOU HELP THE HELMETED HONEYEATER FIND ITS HOME?
Solution on Page 17
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MAKE YOUR OWN
E AST E R basket
Get ready for an Easter egg hunt with this easy-to-make basket craft activity.
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2
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Decorate one side of the paper before folding the Easter basket. Leave any glueing until the basket is complete.
Fold the paper in half lengthways, with the decoration on the outside. Fold the two sides together to meet the fold line in the middle.
Fold the two ends to meet in the middle. Starting at each corner, cut a diagonal line towards the middle. The cut should finish at the corner of the first fold.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
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4
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Lift the ends by folding the outside corners to meet in the middle. Secure the end pieces together with glue or staples.
Fold the second piece of paper three times, lengthways. Attach the short sides either side of the basket to create the handle.
2 x A4 piece of paper Glue or stapler Coloured pencils Scissors Ask an adult to help you with this craft project.
THE EASTER HUNT Can you find the hidden bilby, Easter eggs, carrot, rabbit and chick in the image below?
COLOUR ME IN!
CAN YOU MATCH THE ANIMAL WITH THE EGG IT HAS LAID?
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2
3
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PHILIPPINE CROCODILE
SOUTHERN CASSOWARY
SOUTHERN CORROBOREE FROG
ORCHARD SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY
a
b
c
d
Answers on Page 17
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ELEPHANT CORNER
DID YOU KNOW? Mali was the first elephant born at Melbourne Zoo. Her birthday is on 16 January.
1. HOW
OLD DID MALI TURN THIS YEAR? A.
Learn more about these gentle giants and test your elephant knowledge.
DID YOU KNOW? The trunk is used for feeding, watering, smelling, touching, communicating, lifting, dusting, and fighting.
2. WHAT
MANY LITRES OF WATER CAN AN ELEPHANT’S TRUNK HOLD?
A.
A.
DID YOU KNOW? A baby elephant can stand on its own within 20 minutes of being born.
IS THE NAME FOR A BABY ELEPHANT?
3. HOW
DID YOU KNOW? Elephants are the largest land animal on earth (the Antarctic blue whale is the largest of all animals).
4. WHAT
ARE THE ONLY TWO SPECIES OF ELEPHANT? A.
Mek Kapah DID YOU KNOW?
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Asian elephants have a single ‘finger’ on the end of their trunk The males grow larger tusks than the females.
Melbourne Zoo’s oldest elephant is Mek Kapah. She is the matriarch (leader) of the herd.
HAVE YOU HERD? FACT FILE ASIAN ELEPHANTS Habitat: They can be
found in Sri Lanka, Laos, Thailand, Burma, China, Malaysia, India, Indonesia and Cambodia.
Diet: In the wild, the Asian Elephant eats leaves, flowers, fruits, shrubs, grasses and roots.
Family ties: Elephants are
matriarchal, meaning the females live in a herd together while the males live by themselves or in small bachelor groups in the wild.
We’ve welcomed a new member to the herd at Melbourne Zoo. EVIE AGED 6
Welcome Luk Chai
Born on 4 July 2009 at Taronga Zoo Sydney, Luk Chai is an energetic, inquisitive and confident male elephant who loves to splash around in the pool. He arrived at Melbourne Zoo in December 2020. Luk Chai will become the ‘big brother’ to adolescent bull Man Jai and will hopefully become friends with the other elephants in the herd.
COLOUR ME IN!
Baby: Born at Melbourne
Zoo in 2010, Mali was the first female Asian Elephant born in Australia.
Status: Asian elephants
have been in decline, with only 40,000–50,000 left in the wild today. This means the species is classified as endangered in the wild.
Answers on Page 17
LET’S WRITE!
RITING PRACTISE YOUR W TIFIC IEN SC E BY TRACING TH NT NAME FOR ELEPHA
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ZOOPER KITCHEN
Strawberry MICE Make snack time fun with this easypeasy recipe for strawberry mice.
METHOD
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With the help of an adult, place a small amount of water in a saucepan and place a heatproof bowl on top. With the heat low, melt the chocolate.
Cut the green top off the strawberries. Cut the strawberries in half lengthways.
Place the strawberry with the sliced half facing down. Cut two slits 1cm from the pointy end and insert one almond flake in each (these are the ears).
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Cut the raspberry liquorice into thin strips – place this at the back as the tail of your strawberry mouse.
Using a toothpick, paint on the two eyes using the melted chocolate.
Stick on the raisin noses with some leftover chocolate and serve on a plate with cubes of cheese.
INGREDIENTS 1 punnet of strawberries 4 squares of melted chocolate
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¼ cup of almond flakes 2 straps raspberry liquorice Raisins 100g of cheese (to serve)
HINT Ask an adult to help you with the chopping.
ANZAC BISCUITS This simple biscuit recipe will make the perfect lunchbox treat.
INGREDIENTS 1 cup rolled oats 1 cup plain flour cup brown sugar cup desiccated coconut 125 g butter 2 tbsp golden syrup ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 2 tbsp cold water
METHOD
LET’S COOK!
1. Ask an adult to preheat a fan-forced oven to
170°C and line a flat baking tray with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (oats, flour, brown sugar and coconut).
3. You’ll need to ask an adult to help you place the butter,
golden syrup and 2 tbsp of cold water in a small pan and heat at a low temperature on the stove until melted. Alternatively, you can use a microwave and heat for 3 minutes – make sure to use a microwave safe bowl.
4. Add the bicarbonate of soda to the butter mixture
and stir. Then, pour the butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir.
TIP
5. Spoon out the mixture and roll it into small balls –
Make sure to wash your hands with soap before preparing food in the kitchen. And don’t forget to share your baked goodies with friends and family.
about the size of a golf ball. Place the balls onto the baking tray and flatten them slightly.
6. Place the tray in the oven and cook for 10–12 minutes if you want chewy biscuits, or 12–15 minutes if you prefer the crunchy version.
7. Let them cool and then eat. Share with your friends and family.
DID YOU KNOW?
Koalas can eat up to one kilogram of eucalyptus leaves a day. It’s no wonder they can sleep for up to 20 hours. That’s one long after-lunch nap.
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EYE-SPY Can you spot the native Australian animals listed below that are hiding along the bush track?
Emu Lace monitor
Barn Owl Australian Pelican Kookaburra Leadbeater’s Possum Tasmanian Devil
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ILLUSTRATION GREGORY ROBERTS
Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby
HINT We’ve added som e animals to trick yo u. Visit the Woodlands Tr ack at Healesville Sanc tuary for clues.
Answers on Page 17
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HINT
PULL OUT THIS GUIDE AND STICK IT ABOVE YOUR BINS AS A REMINDER EACH
Think before you
throw
TIME YOU THROW SOMETHING AWAY
Become an eco-warrior by using our handy guide for knowing what you CAN and CAN’T put in the recycling bin (that’s the one with the yellow lid).
THINGS YOU CAN RECYCLE ü HARD PLASTICS
Shampoo and conditioner bottles, cleaning products and other hard plastic bottles from the kitchen or bathroom can be recycled.
ü CONTAINERS
ü PAPER AND
Yoghurt, ice cream, butter and margarine, and takeaway containers (the hard plastic kind) are some of the food containers that can go in the yellow bin. You can also recycle the lids.
Old newspapers, magazines, phone books and even junk mail are some of the paper items you can recycle. Old tissue boxes, milk cartons, cereal boxes and clean pizza boxes can also be thrown in.
Aluminium, empty aerosols and empty tins can be recycled. If the lid has come off the can, ask an adult to put it inside and squash the can so it doesn’t slip out.
CARDBOARD
ü CANS
ü GLASS
TIP Don’t forget to empty and rinse items before putting them in the recycling bin.
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BOTTLES
All green, clear and brown bottles can be recycled. Don’t worry about removing the labels.
JOIN THE ECO-CHALLENGE Here are five ways you can challenge yourself and other people in your family to become eco-warriors
RE-USE: where possible, use things multiple times. RECYCLE: use our guide to find out if items can go into the recycling bin. REPAIR: can the item be fixed? REGIFT: can you give it to someone else who can use it? REDUCE: buy less in the future.
THINGS YOU CAN’T RECYCLE û SOFT
û DISPOSABLE
PLASTICS
COFFEE CUPS
If the plastic can be scrunched up then it can’t go in the recycling at home. However, some Coles and Woolworths have drop-off points for recycling soft plastics.
Encourage the adults in your house to use reusable coffee cups.
û TISSUES
AND SERVIETTES
Because the fibres in these are so weak, they have already reached the end of their recycling journey.
û POLYSTYRENE
These containers break into tiny pieces and can get into our waterways – and be mistaken for food by animals.
û FOOD SCRAPS
These can’t go into the recycling bin, but they CAN go into a compost bin for use in the garden.
Note:
always check the recycling guidelines of your local council as they might be different in your area.
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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR winners! WOW! THANKS FOR YOUR ENTRIES To enter into our next competition, send your picture to: zooperkids@zoo.org.au
OR Zooper Kids Magazine PO Box 74, Parkville VIC 3052
LAYLA AGED 7 FROG PACK WINNER
See back page for all the competition details
ANNIKA AGED 8 KOOKABURRA PACK WINNER
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Puzzle
ANSWERS
EASTERN BARRED BANDICOOT PACK WINNER
JARA AGED 10
HELMETED HONEYEATER MAZE (PG 5)
THE EASTER HUNT (PG 7)
SLOTH PACK WINNER
OLIVIA AGED 7 ANIMAL AND EGG MATCH (PG 7) 1+b, 2+d, 3+a, 4+c
ELEPHANT CORNER (PG 8) 1 Mali is 11 3 12 litres 2 A calf 4 Asian Elephant and African Elephant
EYE-SPY (PG 12–13)
FINGER PUPPETS (P18-19) 1 Green 2 Joey 3 On its mum’s back
We love getting your pictures and letters.
MAKE YOUR OWN
finger PUPPETS AND THEN PUT ON A SHOW!
PUPPET THEATRE What you’ll need: A
cardboard box Paint Scissors A piece of fabric Stapler
Steps: 1. Fold the flaps so they sit inside the box. Cut out the back section of the box so that it’s open on either side. 2. Decorate the sides and inside of the box. 3. Staple the fabric to the back of the box – this is your curtain. 4. Put on a show.
DID YOU KNOW? The male emu sits on the eggs to keep them warm so that they will hatch.
1. WHAT
COLOUR IS AN EMU EGG?
A.
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DID YOU KNOW? A group of kangaroos is called a mob.
2. WHAT IS THE NAME GIVEN TO A BABY KANGAROO? A.
DECORATE YOUR FRIENDLY ANIMALS, CUT THEM OUT WITH SCISSORS AND PLAY.
COLOUR ME IN! DID YOU KNOW? Koalas aren’t bears; they are actually marsupials.
3. HOW
DOES A KOALA JOEY GET AROUND THE PLACE? A.
Answers on Page 17
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COMPETITION TIME! BUSHLAND PRIZE PACK
JUNGLE PRIZE PACK
$72 VALUE
$70 VALUE
GIVEAWAY!
ELEPHANT PRIZE PACK $70 VALUE
WE HAVE FOUR FANTASTIC PRIZE PACKS TO GIVE AWAY THIS ISSUE…
AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS PRIZE PACK $70 VALUE
If you’d like a chance to win, send a letter or drawing to enter. Send yours to: zooperkids@zoo.org.au
OR Zooper Kids Magazine PO Box 74, Parkville VIC 3052
Good LUCK!
ENtries close 30 April 2021, so get in quick! This competition is open to Zoos Victoria Members under the age of 18 with consent of a parent/guardian. Entries will be judged on individual merit and winners notified by phone or email. All entries become the property of Zoos Victoria and will not be returned to the entrants. Prizes are subject to change and cannot be transferred or redeemed for cash. Winners will be announced in the next edition of Zooper Kids.