Sunday, December 16, 2018

Cougar Mountain Zoo: Committed to "Conservation through Education"

In our study of animals, the first and second graders have been learning about how and why scientists classify animals 
and about how and why we "treasure" these "treasures", 
our overarching concept of the year. 

With this in mind, we headed to the Cougar Mountain Zoo in Issaquah with a quest to learn more about endangered species and how we can make a difference. 

"The cougar (Puma concolor), also commonly known as the mountain lion, puma, panther, or catamount, is a large felid of the subfamily Felinae native to the Americas." ~ Wikipedia


The zoo has several hands-on mini-lectures throughout the day.

 
We learned about these "tiny" reindeer.
(See more on upcoming blog.)

 
We watched this endangered species, 
the Sarus Crane (grus antigone), 
swallow a grape down its curved esophagus. 

We convinced these parrots to squawk, talk, and whistle! 

 
We watched this endangered Ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta), 
the most terrestrial of all lemurs. 

We learned about this lemur, also, 
and learned a new word - frugivorous. 

Up close and personal with a silly alpaca.
Yes, we do like your hat. 

The wolves have a great view of the Issaquah Valley.

Hey, we recognize a compass rose!
"Never Eat Soggy Waffles"

 Emus are in the ratite family and are in the same family as ostriches and kiwis.

We were encouraged to touch a feather and an egg.

Eating lunch with our friends

Someone was watching us while we ate lunch. 
And probably smelling us, too!

"Me and my friends loved the zoo."

"I learned that the white tigers are endangered."

"The tigers and cougar watched us eat lunch."

"I want to go again."

"I loved the reindeer."

Thank you, Cougar Mountain Zoo, 
for your passion for animals and for sharing it with us.

We hope to make a difference in our world, too.  

No comments:

Post a Comment

First Grade-isms

A first grader recites 200+ digits of pi!