Analysing a gorilla’s skull, comparing modern human feet with an ape’s and understanding how tools were made millions of years ago. These were some of the activities that the Level 3 Biology students were able to experience on their biology trip to the Auckland Zoo on Tuesday.
The trip was organised to aid the biology students in their upcoming external examinations. At the end of the year, the Level 3 biology students will be assessed on their knowledge of the behaviour of animals and how humans have evolved overtime.
At the start of the trip the students were guided around the zoo by a member of the Auckland Zoo’s educational staff and learnt about how different animals behave and how the natural behaviours are reinforced even when they are in the zoo. From learning about herbivores such as giraffes to carnivores such as lions to even learning the mating dance of flamingos, the students were able to broaden their knowledge for their examinations.
For the second half of the day the students gathered for an educational session studying the evolution of humans as they transitioned from walking on four limbs to two. The students were able to hold and examine replica skeletons of different hominins that lived as far back as 4 million years ago.
Thank you to Mr Williamson and the staff at the Auckland Zoo for making this trip possible. Overall the trip was enjoyed by everyone as the students got to revisit their childhood memories and gain more knowledge for their upcoming external examination.
Zoe Chou
