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Anatomy of a Rainforest Volunteer Training Manual 2012 Program Summary The Amazon represents 1/3 of the world’s tropical rainforest and harbours the oldest forest on Earth. It is fed and drained by the greatest river system in the world-the Amazon River. Plants and animals living in the forest are occupying specialized niches; their life histories are intricately linked with their habitats. The Amazon is one of the most complex ecosystems on Earth, with the greatest diversity of plants and animals. The “ARF” program This program is a wonderful and unique opportunity for students in grades 4 to 7 to explore a tropical rainforest, right here in Vancouver! With you as a guide, students will enter our Graham Amazon Gallery to observe various species of animals and plants, and discover how these species interact with each other and their environment. Together, you’ll be exploring the wonders of 6 different Amazon biological groups: insects, plants, herptiles (reptiles and amphibians), birds, fish, and mammals. Learning objectives: To introduce concepts of biological diversity and adaptation; To develop knowledge of the complexity and fragility of the Amazonian ecosystem; To inspire students with an appreciation of the world’s rainforests and an understanding of the importance of conservation on a global scale. To compare a tropical rainforest with our local temperate rainforest. Friday (March-April) School program times: 10 – 11.30am & 12.30 – 2.00pm Volunteer times: 9.30 – 11.45 & 12.15 – 2.30pm Classroom: Aquatic Planet (the one with the sink) Coordinator: Wade Janzen 604.659.34500 [email protected] Scheduling shifts and communication with coordinator: The program coordinator will be in contact with all the volunteers on a weekly basis (normally via e-mail) regarding program bookings, updates, and scheduling. Please do your best to respond to these e-mails promptly and remain in contact with your coordinator. You will be expected to volunteer on a weekly basis with the program. *** If you are unable to make a shift for ANY reason, please give your coordinator at least 24 hours notice so she can find a replacement*** 2 Materials All prop boxes and loose props for ARF are stored in the lower centre cupboards in the Water Wonders classroom as of September 2010. - 6 x boxes: Herptiles, Birds, Mammals, Plants, Fishes and Insects - Loose props: Caiman Skin, 2x tree trunks, anaconda skin From Props room: - 3 x carts, sloth pelt Q. Where do our props come from? Confiscates, donations, model skulls are purchased, some animals that pass away at the aquarium are preserved Program Overview Set-up: Volunteers arrive at 9.30am and/or 12pm to meet Coordinator in AquaQuest and receive station rotation cards and details of class. Prop boxes in Water Wonders classroom, carts and pelt from props room are collected and placed in their appropriate locations in the Graham Amazon Gallery. Check to see where the animals are hiding in the free flight gallery. All spraying of plants and work by aquarists in the gallery should be completed by 9.30am so it is ok to leave the carts where they need to be for the program. Introduction: In the classroom, the program coordinator presents introduction on the plan for the day and the diversity of flora and fauna found in the Amazon rainforest. Stations: Volunteer educators (that’s you!) guide small groups of 5-8 students through 6 interactive learning stations in the Graham Amazon Gallery. Each station is 10 minutes long and incorporates a variety of gallery displays and hands-on artefacts. Please ensure all your props are returned to their box at the end of your station time. The stations are: Plants, Herptiles (Reptiles and Amphibians), Birds, Fish, Mammals and Insects. At each station try to include: What is it? What makes it a ………………? Where does it live/is it found? How does it survive/how has it adapted to its environment? What if it were gone? – Conservation issues Wrap up: Back in the classroom, students share their experiences about what they have learned and seen, and consider ways to play a role in helping to conserve the rainforests. 3 Anatomy of a Rainforest Outline (Friday) Time 10.00 – 10.10 12.30 – 12.40 10.10 – 10.15 12.40 – 12.45 10 minutes Activity Goals Classroom Welcome. Introduce the program & major concepts. Introduce volunteers. Health and safety issues. Talk to teacher and parents Break into groups Lead groups to the Amazon Gallery Mammal Station 10 minutes 10 minutes 10 minutes Insect Station Fish Station Key characteristics. Diversity and Ecological roles (food for other animals, decomposers, and pollinators), Survival strategies. Conservation issues. Look and touch What makes a fish a fish? Diversity, ecological roles and survival adaptations such as air breathing and electricity, flooded forest connection. Conservation Bird Station Key characteristics. Adaptations (feet, beaks and feathers). Camouflage. Role in ecosystem. Conservation. Look, listen Plant Station Structure of the rainforest, Interrelations with animals, Human uses, Diversity, Adaptations, Sustainability of crops in the rainforest Herptile Station Key characteristics, Diversity and adaptations, Roles they play in the ecosystem Conservation issues Classroom Return to classroom Wrap Up Students share their experiences & consider ways to play a role in helping to conserve the rainforests 10 minutes 10 minutes 11.15 – 11.20 1.45 – 1.50 11.20 – 11.30 1.50 – 2.00 Key characteristics. Adaptations of sloth and bats and their roles in the ecology of the rainforest. Main mammal habitats: aquatic, terrestrial, arboreal 4 Program and Gallery Background Information - The Amazon – Overview Also read ‘The Amazon’ AquaFacts at www.vanaqua.org/education/aquafacts The Amazon Basin accounts for 1/3 of the tropical rainforest belt and contains the oldest forest on Earth. It is located in Brazil for the greatest part, but also spreads into Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. It is fed and drained by the Amazon River. It is believed that, a smaller Amazon River flowed westward toward the Pacific America broke off from Africa and moved westward where eastward moving Pacific Ocean floor (thus creating the Andes, western part of S.A., and reversing the flow of the Amazon R.). for millions of years, Ocean. Then, South it collided with the flooding much of the Today, the Amazon River begins in Peru’s Andes (fed by glaciers) and grows until it reaches the east coast of S.A., more than 6,400km from its origins, pouring 20 billion litres of freshwater/day into the Atlantic Ocean. During the raining season, the Amazon River can rise 16m. The astonishing diversity of the Amazon’s vegetation creates innumerable specialized niches, thus allowing for the incomparable richness of animal species that can be found in this tropical rainforest. The Amazon forest is not only the richest ecosystems on Earth; it is also one of the most complex, with millions of different interrelationships. For a long time, the scientific community agreed that there were most likely an estimated 2 million species of animals on Earth. In 1982, that belief was challenged by the work of Terry Erwins, a biologist doing research in the Amazon. For 5 years, he studied the insects of the Amazon rainforest: what he found revolutionized what was then conceived as the world’s biodiversity. Everyday, he would pick one tree and count and identify all the insects in that one tree. Every time, he would find close to 20,000 individuals, representing between 1,500 and 2,000 species, 80% of which were new species! Today, scientists estimate that there could be up to 10 million species of animals on this planet, and possibly even a multiple of that number… The Amazon’s biodiversity: It has been estimated that 2 ½ acres of forest may support 125 different species of mammals, 400 kinds of birds, 100 reptile species, 60 amphibians, and 750 species of plants. The Amazon is also home to more than 1,800 species of freshwater fish (10 Xs more species than in all of Canada). You can find up to 50,000 KNOWN species of plants (researchers believe that there could be as many undiscovered species); 1/5 of the world’s bird species (at least 2,700). 5 Home to some of the largest animals on Earth: Freshwater fish: Snake: Eagle: Rodent: Otter: Arapaima (a-r-a-pie-ma) Anaconda Harpy eagle Capybara (cap-i-baa-ra) River otter Structure of the rainforest: There are 4 main layers, each with specific communities of animals and plants. 1) Forest floor: In many places, only 7% of sunlight reaches the floor. Shrubs, dwarf trees and small plants that need little light, ferns and mushrooms. The decaying litter is quickly recycled by decomposers (like cockroaches). Animals such as deer, hoofed tapirs, tinamous (partridge-like birds), rabbits and jaguars. And, of course this layer includes all aquatic life, such as fishes, caimans, river otters, manatees and dolphins. 2) Under-storey: Small palms, woody shrubs and young canopy trees, interwoven with vines are found in this layer. Plants often have immense leaves and long narrow treetops (believed to be an adaptation to absorb the most sunlight). Ocelots, anacondas, and coatis can be found here. 3) Canopy: Rising 20 to 40m from the ground, forming a ‘green umbrella’ shading the rest of the forest. Direct sunlight and wind cause the ambient temperature and humidity to vary throughout the day. Sunlight is converted into energy, producing lots of leaves, fruits and nuts. Animals found here include: Parrots, toucans, insects, frogs and lizards and monkeys, and many nocturnal animals, like anteaters, kinkajous, bats and sloths. Adaptations: prehensile tails (that can grasp), sharp claws, or skin flaps that enable some species to glide without wings. Plants have leaves that can shed the excess water with their ‘drip tips’ (preventing algae and mould growth). Many plants (bromeliads, ferns, orchids and vines) live on the emergent tree trunks. 4) Emergent layer: Can reach up to 50m. Tall, slender trunks often supported by buttress or stilt roots to hold against winds and floods. Leaves are thick and waxy (to resist drying from wind and sunlight). Home for butterflies, some species of birds and the majestic harpy eagles. The endangered Amazon: Many of these plants and animals are endemic to very particular areas. Many animals and plants are in danger of becoming extinct, mainly because of deforestation (logging or burning of large areas) for the purpose of cattle ranching and crop cultivation. The forest provides food and shelter to animals. It also affects the fish: no trees = no fruits and nuts = no food and no shelter (also increases current speed) for the fish. No trees means the soil gets washed away with the rain (up to 1,000cm/year), 6 leading to important erosion and sedimentation of rivers = lower oxygen. Also changes the climate locally. Why should we care? Not only because this ecosystem is a rich and unique one, of incredible beauty, but also because it plays an important role in our own existence: Recycles carbon dioxide and produces oxygen; Source of everyday products such as rubber, coffee and cocoa (chocolate!); Important source of medicinal products (4/5 medicines), and potential source for undiscovered cures. The Graham Amazon Gallery (opened 1987) Why a rainforest exhibit at the Aquarium? The Aquarium has been presenting animals from the Amazon (reptiles and fish) for a long time. Because there is such a strong interdependence between the aquatic and terrestrial animals and plants in this ecosystem, it only made sense to show both habitats, so that visitors can enjoy and appreciate the bigger picture. Temperature is maintained at 27 degrees by day and 22 degrees at night. Spray misters keep humidity at 75 - 80%. Lights are turned on and off gradually to simulate dawn and dusk. Free Range Concept: Fun place because a) Can see live plants and animals without a glass in between, and b) Always changing. Challenging place because the animals move! That’s why good to come early for a look: more enjoyable and exciting for students. Most animals have favourite spots. Familiarize yourself with the way this habitat is built, from the floor to the ceiling. Look at the different layers of vegetation: at the shapes of the leaves, the root systems if you can see it, the flowers and fruits, if any. Then listen and look for animals you can find (on or close to: plants, water, ground, and ceiling). Try to identify the animals (search for the info panels). Try to observe them a little while: what are they doing? Where do the animals in the exhibits come from? Purchased from local tropical fish dealers (who bred them); Obtained from conservation-oriented groups; Many are bred at the Aquarium, or at other aquariums and Donations from hobbyists (fishes). 7 Station Background Information Some things to be mindful of: - There are a lot of props in each box – you do not need to refer to/use all of them! Definitely let the students guide you here... if they are more interested in the live animals and habitats then focus on these, and use props to augment your teaching where appropriate. Do connect with their prior knowledge. - Look for the ‘touch’, ‘think’, ‘do’, ‘discuss’ clues to give you some quick ideas - Timing is very important and tight. Please wear a watch and keep your eye on the time. If you run out of time to cover all your points, then move-on and recap later if appropriate or accept that there simply isn’t the time and aim to condense your content and cover it with the next ARF program. It’s all about practise and depends largely on the group at hand. - If you are asked a question that you are unsure of, then please ask students to remember to ask the coordinator during our wrap up 5 6 4 3 1 2 1. Mammals: floor, under body art poster. 2. Insect and Fish Station: Floor/Stand - Next to bat enclosure and across by aripaima 3. Birds: cart, near the bird pond. 4. Plants: cart, across from the Kapoc tree. 5. Herptiles: cart/floor, in front of the anaconda. 6. N/A 8 FISH Props: - Red Tail Catfish Dorsal Plate - Arapaima Tongue & Scales - Piranha Skull Red Tail Catfish Pectoral Spines Piranha - Freshwater Stingray Barb Native Jewellery Piranha Poster Key Topics: What makes a fish a fish? Flooded forest habitat Ecological roles and survival adaptations Conservation including pet trade and jewellery Ideas: Look & Discuss: Flooded forest inhabitants, Electric eel habitat and discuss all their adaptations Look: Piranha habitat, discuss myth: wet vs dry season, show piranha skull Look: Stingrays in habitats and touch freshwater stingray barb Touch: Arapaima scales, what are they? Why are there holes? Jewellery Arapaima tongue. What do they eat? Human uses of arapaima tongue. Jewellery made from red tailed catfish scutes - discuss More Ideas: 9 Fish Station Background Information: The Amazon is home to more than 1,800 freshwater species. Piranha Famous or infamous carnivore of the Amazon - It is important to demystify these creatures Only 4 are carnivores out of 20 species: the others eat mainly plants, fruit and nuts Usually eat fish, but stories say they will attack anything – even so they can’t eat an entire animal by themselves and instead nip off scales and bits of flesh. Typically will attack struggling or bleeding mammals in the water or during times where food is scarce such as the dry season when they are herded together by low waters Teeth are sharper than most fish of similar size, and jaws are powerful Largest can be 30 cm Arapaima Reports of up to 4.5m – disputed largest freshwater fish (some say the Mekong Catfish gets bigger) Can live up to 15 years, the ones we have are about 10 years old Adults are obligate air breathers – breathe every 10-20 minutes Eat other fish, small birds, and insects. At the aquarium, they’re fed rainbow trout. Has no teeth but a bony tongue Mouth-brooder - The father guarding the eggs is known to take them in his mouth and move them to another location. The young are led by the male in a group once they are able to swim. Is endangered from over-fishing and habitat destruction Tambaqui Very powerful jaws and strong teeth - Has large molar-like teeth used for crushing food. Eats fruits and nuts that fall from the trees, live off their fat during the dry season Largest ones can be 1m and 30kg in body mass Young tambaquis have a red belly and resemble piranhas Tambaqui are also a popular food item for people in the Amazon area – concern of overfishing Red-Tail Catfish Grows as big as 130cm Eats fish and crayfish 10 Live up to 15 years in captivity Often have spines on their fins, in many cases poisonous Has whiskers or barbells for finding its way around in low visibility and for finding food Babies are often sold as pets; people don’t always know they will grow to such large sizes when they buy them Electric Eel Not a true eel Uses electricity for three main things: deterring predators, immobilizing prey, detecting its surroundings Long eels can kill by discharging between 400 and 600 volts of electricity – the longer they are the more power they have Poor water visibility likely lead to the evolution of electricity for detecting surroundings Has breathing organs in its mouth and breaths air Human deaths from electric eels are extremely rare. However, multiple shocks can cause respiratory or heart failure and people have been known to drown in shallow water after a stunning jolt. Ghost Knife-fish Cousin to the electric eel Only weak electric superpowers - possess a weakly discharging neurogenic electric organ and ampullary electro receptors that are distributed from head to tail… this helps them hunt and to communicate. Nocturnal and blind! Can regenerate their spinal cord Eats insect larvae Sting Rays The only freshwater stingrays in the world are found in the Amazon They have a venomous serrated barb on their whip-like tail – do not ‘attack’ people, but can cause serious injury to anyone who steps on them in the often murky waters of the Amazon protruding eyes of a freshwater stingray allow them to see what is going on in the water column above while they are buried in the riverbed Like sharks, rays can detect bioelectricity, which is useful for finding prey. Give birth to live young (just like many other types of sharks, rays, and skates) Notice holes behind their eyes? These are spiracles and allow them to breathe more easily while they are hiding in the substrate. 11 MAMMALS Props: - Jaguar Hat - Sloth Skull - Sea Otter Skull - River Otter Skull - Fruit Bat Skull - Vampire Bat Skull - Bat Puppet - Jaguar Beanie - - Plastic animals inc. Jaguar models, Manatee, Otter, Bat Otter Paw Print Posters: Sloth & Golden Tamarin Ocelot - - Endangered Species Mammal Characteristics Cards Monkeys Habitat Cards Photo of Amazon River dolphin Key Topics: What makes a mammal a mammal (5 criteria)? Interesting facts about sloths and bats Three main habitats for Amazonian mammals: terrestrial, arboreal and aquatic. Conservation Ideas: Think: Would you wear a hat made from a Jaguar? What happens to the large mammals in the Amazon during flooded season? Look and touch: Sloth pelt – direction of hair growth, look for animals in habitat, sloth skull and claws Listen: story of sloth faeces and moth life cycle Look: Vampire bat skull. Don’t suck blood but rather nick skin and lick dripping blood – media created fear Look & Discus: Fruit bats in bat habitat. Mammal or bird? Compare: Otter skulls: River vs Sea Otter More Ideas: 12 Mammal Station Background Information: - Warm Blooded Fur/Hair Feed young milk through mammary glands Give birth to live young Have lungs to breath air All mammals have a back bone Arboreal - Terrestrial – Aquatic Two-toed Sloth Nocturnal Only come down to forest floor once a week to defecate Sloths grow algae in their fur, it helps them blend in Generally have 18 teeth Sleeps for around 15 hours a day, low rate of metabolism enables them to live on relatively little food. Eat leaves and buds but also eat twigs, fruits, and small prey. Do not have incisors and crop leaves with their hard lips. Teeth grow continuously, as they are worn down by the grinding of their food. Don't drink but get their water from eating juicy leaves & licking dewdrops. Main predators are harpy eagles, large snakes, less often large cats (ocelots/jaguars) or caiman - defend themselves with sharp claws, but their main form of protection is their camouflage. Extremely slowly movers on ground but surprisingly good swimmers Do most things upside down: eat, sleep, mate, and give birth. Because of their upside down life, many of their internal organs (liver, stomach, spleen, pancreas) are in different positions from other mammals Sometimes let out a cry or hissing sound. Lifespan is 30-40 years (less in the wild, possibly about 20yrs) ...Our Two-toed Sloths Each have 2 names, a staff name and a contest winning name chosen by the public...(staff/official): Sally/Mazo, Hurricane/Sulis, Havoc/Yambya. At the Aquarium, they eat a mixture of steamed root vegetables (carrots, yams, sweet potato, several potato types) as well as tofu or hard-boiled egg 13 and fruit (banana/apple/grapes) and mixed "watery" greens like romaine, green leaf lettuce, and endive Sloth Pelt: Long gray or brown hair that blends in well with the surrounding environment, making it difficult for predators, such as the jaguar, to see them Hair curves in the opposite direction of most other mammals: from the stomach to the back, often covered with a coat of blue-green algae during the rainy season. This algae provides camouflage Their ancestor, the Giant Ground Sloth, lived before the last ice age and reached the size of the modern elephant. Amazon Giant River otter The largest otter in the world – 1.8m long Eat fish and crabs but have been known to eat anacondas and caimans Hunted extensively and are now among the rarest otters in the world—only a few thousand are believed to survive in the wild. Jamaican Fruit Bats – flying mammals Native to central and South America Pointier ears than most bats Grow to 9cm Is known to build a tent for shelter from Araceae and Palmae plants. Also lives in hollow trees, caves and forest foliage Processes food in 15 minutes therefore seeds are passed quickly Jaguar Strongest bite of all cats, second strongest mammal bite (Tasmanian devil is first) - Can bite through animal skulls Only enemy is the anaconda Jaguars do not avoid water; in fact, they are quite good swimmers. Rivers provide prey in the form of fish, turtles, or caimans Jaguars also eat larger animals such as deer, peccaries, capybaras, and tapirs. They sometimes climb trees to prepare an ambush Size: Head and body 1.5 to 1.8 m; Tail, 70 to 91 cm. Weight: 45 to 113 kg Protection status: Endangered Common Marmoset – Cindy, female On average, males weigh 256 grams and females weigh 236 grams Claw-like nails allow them to cling vertically to trees, run across branches and leap from tree to tree also to gouge tree bark, then they suck out the gum or sap with their teeth Sharp, chisel-like incisors and specialized intestines allow them to use things like gum, sap, latex and resin more than other species Also like to eat insects, fruits, seeds, fungi, flowers, nectar and snails 14 Pygmy Marmosets – Sesame, male Both males and females weigh about 119 grams—this species is the smallest true monkey in the world Squirrel-like locomotion allows them to run up and down tree trunks, but they can also leap up to five metres Pygmy marmosets also have sharp teeth and primarily eat gums, saps and resins from trees, but they also eat insects, butterflies, moths, fruit, flowers, nectars, and occasionally small lizards Vampire Bat Nocturnal. Drink the blood of other animals for survival - Do not suck blood, they make a small cut with their teeth and then lick the blood as it trickles. Anti-coagulants in the saliva stop clotting. Feed on blood from cows, pigs, horses and birds. Blood sucking does not hurt the animal. Vampire bats are the only known mammal to survive solely on blood. Have fewer teeth than other bat species. Wingspan is about 8inches. Body is about the size of a human thumb. Locate prey using echolocation. Each night they drink about half their body weight in blood. Pink Amazon River Dolphin (Boto) Largest of the freshwater dolphin. Length averages about 1.8m in males and females. Weight is up to 350lbs. Starts life dark grey in colour. Becomes pink with age and eventually turns a white/bluish grey colour. Have stiff hairs on upper and lower beak which provide a sense of touch when foraging in the mud for food. Neck vertebrae are not fused so that it can bend its neck at 90 degrees to its body, downwards and sideways. Feed on catfish, heavily scaled fish, piranhas and bottom dwelling crustaceans. Manatee The average adult manatee is about three meters long and weighs between 362-544 kilograms. Manatees can be found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, estuaries, saltwater bays, canals and coastal areas. Manatees are a migratory species. Most of their time is spent eating, resting, and in travel. Manatees are completely herbivorous. They eat aquatic plants. Can live 60 years or more. 15 BIRDS (box on cart) Props: - Assorted Feathers Assorted Beaks Eagle Skull Bird Skeleton - Seeds X2 Binoculars Birds of the Amazon Challenge Cards - Pictures and Picture Board Key Topics: What makes a bird a bird? Observation and deductive skills by examining feet, beaks and feathers of live birds Camouflage of floor birds, colours of canopy birds Feeding habits Role in ecosystem Conservation Ideas: Find: Scarlet ibis Think: Why are they this colour? Diet of krill! Think: Why are some birds brightly coloured and others dull? What do we do with bird feathers? Listen: Story of guest releasing budgies into gallery. Good idea? Sounds of birds in gallery – close your eyes. Macaws may be very noisy! Look & touch: Skulls and beaks (do not open beaks please) Let’s have a guess about what types of things these birds might eat? At home: Look with binoculars for birds at home and listen Identify: Can you tell apart Gus and Olley the Hyacinth Macaws? Sidetrack: Find the two-toed sloth… Find the iguana… More Ideas: 16 Birds Station Background Information: Double yellow head parrot Scarlet Ibis Hyacinth Macaws Tinamou Tanager Seedeater In order to fly… Birds need wings, strong muscles, light weight, many hollow bones Birds moult once a year to replace lost, old or damaged feathers Primary – long ones on wing’s end used for propelling forward Secondary, and tertiary flight feathers – used for generating lift Underlying feathers for warmth Brazilian Duck/Teal The beak is paddle-shaped The feet are placed further back on the body and are webbed for swimming Scarlet Ibis Related to herons and flamingos (distantly) Closely related to spoonbills In the wild eat Crabs, shrimp, insects, amphibians and crabs In the aquarium eat krill Bright color due to the pigment carotene found in their food Their reason for color? They may need to maintain visual contact with others of the same species, Brilliant plumage may help individuals find breeding partners, Protection Coloured leg bands are for aquarists ID of the birds, so we can tell who's who from a distance (ie. without chasing them down and catching them all the time) Closed metal bands are only put on by a licensed bander and just give the birds a worldwide official number so that they can be tracked later on 17 Hyacinth Macaw Gus is the slimmer of the two animals, has slightly protruding eyes and a wider lower mandible. Estimated age of 47 years. He shows signs of being old (wrinkly eye and cheek skin, more heavily grooved feet) Olley is heavier set. He is handfed and 9 yrs old. Hyacinth Macaws are the World’s largest Parrot (contrary to some opinion that it is the Kakapo which is a heavier, 3kg flightless parrot, but not larger) at 100cm long and 1.7kg Native to South America, and is classified as an endangered and protected species - decline is attributable to illegal trade in exotic animals, hunters seeking its flesh and plumage, and deforestation, as the large trees where it nests are disappearing Native diet includes nuts, berries and palm fruits Harpy Eagle one of the largest species of eagles: half the length of an average-sized human and up to 9 kgs Can reach speeds above 80 kmh in flight. Double yellow head parrot is an endangered Amazon parrot prefers to live in mangrove forests or forests near rivers popular pet and an excellent talker Tinamou shy and secretive – often heard but not seen Most species can fly, but relatively poorly. Find on forest floor Eat a variety of food including insects and berries. Humming Bird Smallest: Bee Hummingbird weighs about 2.2 grams Largest: Giant Hummingbird weighs about 20 grams Can rotate its wings in a circle - can fly both forwards and backwards. They can also fly up, down, sideways, hover in one spot, or fly upside down for short distances! During normal flight their wings beat about 60-80 times per second. Beak Adaptations Birds' diets are varied and often include nectar, fruit, plants, seeds, carrion, and various small animals, including other birds Their beaks give us a clue about their diet – see picture. 18 PLANTS (box on cart) Props: - Assortment of Pressed Leaves - Cocoa Pod X2 - Cocoa Pod Seeds - Brazil Nuts - Tapioca - Vitamin C Tablets - Coffee Beans - Ground Coffee - Mahogany Seeds Vanilla Beans & flavoring Allspice Assorted Rainforest Nuts Cocoa Powder Cinnamon Sticks Cocoa Stick - Coconut Shells Natural Gum Assorted Food Packaging Douglas Fir and Balsa Trunks Cecropia Tree Key Topics: Structure of the rainforest, diversity of plants Interrelations with animals Human uses Adaptations to lack of light, shallow soil, lack of nutrients, flood Sustainability of crops in the rainforest – deforestation, etc. Ideas: Discuss: there are still plant species to be discovered in the Amazon – how might these discoveries help us? Medicinal uses, etc. Guess: Which label is not from the Amazon? Wheat product. Think: Where does chocolate come from? Cocoa tree pods, seeds ground to cocoa powder. Look & Smell: Cocoa tree, pods and seeds Discuss, look & smell: Medicines and supplements, coffee (new breed growing on forest floor), Chiclets, coconut shells, spices, tapioca (have you tried bubble tea with tapioca pearls?) Look: Which way do the leaves point on our trees? Down. Why? Rainfall Can you identify different layers of plants in the gallery? Which animals are using each layer? Stanley Park destroyed every 7 minutes – deforestation for cattle ranching and agriculture, lumber -wood industry, population growth Do at home: buy a bit of the Amazon! Buy fair trade South American chocolate – that way you ensure the long term supply of chocolate for us and healthy homes for Amazonian animals. 19 Compare: weight of two trunks – Douglas fir and Balsa wood. Why different? Who has made balsa wood models? How do you age a tree? More Ideas: Plants Station Background Information: Plants recycle carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. Important source of medicinal products (4/5 medicines) and potential source for undiscovered cures. Stanley Park contains 8 tree species; the same area in the Amazon could contain 300 species. Structure of the rainforest - See page 6 volunteer manual Adaptations The soil of the tropical rainforests is thin and very low in nutrients Many trees have buttress and prop roots for extra support in the thin rainforest soil. Plant leaves have drip tips and grooves or waxy coatings to shed water. This allows the water to fall straight down to the plant’s own roots. To absorb as much sunlight as possible in the shady understory, most leaves are very large Flexible stems/stalks that allow them to bend and follow the sunlight so they can carry out photosynthesis all day. Some plants – epiphytes - grow in the upper canopy on larger trees. This helps them get closer to the sunlight eg. Orchids and bromeliads Wood densities (comparison of Douglas fir to Amazon hardwood) Trees that grow in warmer climates usually have “lighter” or less dense wood Trees that grow in tropical rainforests do not have growth rings because they are always growing at the same rate throughout the year due to climate. Trees from temperate rainforests such as the Douglas fir have growth rings due to slow growing rate during cold winter seasons. 20 Cacao Tree (empty pods) pronounced (ka-kay-oh) Chocolate comes from cacao pods Scientifically classified as a drupe, not a pod Inside the pod there are 20-40 seeds; these seeds are cleaned and fermented to make cocoa Seeds are covered in a white pulp – the pulp must be removed; the seeds are a pinkish colour, and must be fermented before they have that nice chocolaty brown colour and deep flavourful aroma which we love so much Rubber tree Natural rubber is the sap from Rubber trees Sap is like blood for a tree Cuts are made in the tree, and the sap is collected in buckets Harvesting rubber must be done carefully, because if you take too much sap from a tree, what will happen? Only “natural” rubber comes from trees; some types of rubber come from oil Vanilla Orchid Vanilla comes from a flower Vanilla bean is actually a capsule Most orchids live in the canopy Medicines and Supplements The Amazon rainforest yields a great bounty of plants, herbs and trees used for medicinal purposes: ‘nature's pharmacy’ About one-quarter of all the medicines we use come from rainforest plants. o Curare comes from a tropical vine. It is used as an anaesthetic and to relax muscles during heart surgery. o Quinine, from the cinchona tree, is used to treat malaria. o A person with leukemia has a 99% chance that the disease will go into remission because of the rosy periwinkle. o More than 1,400 varieties of tropical plants might be potential cures for cancer. Kapok Tree (model) Emergent tree species that can grow to a height of 150 feet or more, towering over other trees in the rainforest. Large spines protrude from the trunk to discourage damage to the trunk. Thin, plank type buttresses stabilize the giant and can extend to 30 feet. Many plants and animals grow and live in the branches of the kapok tree. Birds nest in it, and mammals use the huge branches as highways. Frogs breed in the pools of water that collect in the bromeliads. In many places the straight trunks of the kapok tree are used to make dugout canoes. The white, fluffy seed covering is used in pillows and mattresses. Since it is buoyant and water resistant it is often used in flotation devices and padding. 21 INSECTS & Arachnids Props: - Crab Moult - Longhorn Beetle - Tarantula Molt - Dragonfly - Insect Candy - Huntsman Molt - Giant Cockroach Nymph - Leaf Insect Molt - Dung Beetles Giant Water Bug American Cockroach Australian Leaf Insect Eggs Wood Borer Dung Beetle Scorpion Molt - Assorted Plastic Bugs Magnifying Glasses Assorted Butterfly Objects Posters: Assorted Butterfly and Moths Key Topics: What makes an insect an insect? Diversity and Ecological roles (food for other animals, decomposers, and pollinators) Survival strategies Conservation issues Ideas: Think: moults. What are these? Look: beetles and insects, dung beetle Discuss: different roles they play in ecosystem Touch/Hold: live insects! Discuss adaptations More Ideas: Insect Station Background Information: 22 Insect vs. Arachnid: The adult body of insects is split into three parts with six legs 1) Head- location of sensory organs 2) Thorax- location of locomotory ability 3) Abdomen- main location of digestive, reproductive and respiratory systems The adult body of an arachnid (spider) is split into two parts and they have 8 legs 1) Cephalothorax 2) Abdomen Madagascar hissing cockroaches Largest cockroach in the world Live around 5 years in captivity Eat fallen fruit and decomposing plant and animal matter from forest floor – Important decomposers in an ecosystem Make hissing sounds via forcing air from spiracles (modified breathing holes on abdomen), when disturbed, during courtship, to determine if familiar male or stranger, conveys information on size of male Food for many animals so the energy in the rainforest continues to remain in the food chain: predators include mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds Nocturnally active, why they like dark places Males – larger horns and hairy antennae Females – smaller horns, antennae with no hair Life span is 2-5 years having 6 molts before maturity Bear live young (oviparous) 40-50 young Vietnamese Stick insect Eat leaves, special mouth parts for chewing plant matter “Sticky” feet – tiny hairs help it stick to smooth surfaces, small hooks on end of six feet help it grip branches Mimics the movement of branches swaying in the wind, Brown or green color able to camouflage well in forests Have no bones only an outer shell called an exoskeleton – often eat their moult! Can re-grow lost limbs Males – wings, females – no wings Asexual Grow 4-5 inches We feed Raspberry brambles Drop 100s of eggs on forest floor which hatch in months with the right conditions Life span 5-7 months to one year, 6molts before sexually maturity Predators are birds and mammals Huntsman spider Grow up to 15cm 23 Lays up to 200 eggs Brown color Eats insects and invertebrates Goliath Bird eater tarantula Have venom in their fangs Not dangerous to humans but feels like a bee sting Can shoot out its bristles (hair) at enemies Makes a hissing noise that can be heard from 4.5m away Known to eat young birds stolen from nests Chilean rose tarantula Brown body with pink bristles Eat insects and mice Can grow up to 7.5 cm Volunteer Insect Handling Protocol - Updated May 2010 General Considerations The following handling protocols have been implemented to ensure the health of the animals, to prevent an insect infestation and to comply with permit regulations. It is imperative that you follow them. Remember that handling insects is a privilege and a responsibility. Only trained volunteers are allowed to handle these animals. If protocols are not followed, an individual may be revoked to handle the animals. When handling the bugs, they are to remain at the critter corner cart at all times. Do not walk the bug around the Amazon! After touching the insects, all visitors should take a pump of the isagel. Handling Cockroaches The cockroaches are located in a pal pen habitat with a black lid, inside the Amazon Critter Cart. Key can be signed out from the interpreter’s office. Cockroaches are only to be handled twice per day. Check the sign out sheet, on the clipboard, to determine how many times they have already been handled today. Wash hands before and after handling with isagel, the no-rinse alcohol sanitizer. The isagel is stored in a small pump inside the cart. HANDLING TECHNIQUES: 1) If the cockroach is on the soil in the bottom, gently pick it up with one hand and place it in the open palm of your other hand. 2) If the cockroach is attached to the side of the pal pen, it is a bit tricky to pick up. Place an open palm in front of the cockroach. With your other hand coax the cockroach on to the open palmed hand. Visitors can touch, but not hold cockroaches. Use pinky rule. Females cannot be handled in the galleries. Therefore, only males are available in the pal pen. It is always safe to check for the horns on the head 24 before picking it up to ensure that it is male. Call an Amazon care staff immediately on channel 1 if you notice that it is a female. When holding the cockroach, your hand must be over the pal pen at all times, to prevent an escape. Return the cockroach to its habitat. Ensure that the lid is on tight. Record on the sign out sheet your name, date, animals handled, and comments regarding the animals behaviour or anything unusual that happened during the handling session. Wash your hands with isagel. You can properly wash your hands in the washroom as well. If a cockroach escapes, there are two options. 1) Retrieve the cockroach as soon as possible. 2) If the cockroach cannot be caught safely, it must be stepped on. Handling Stick Insects Stick insects are located in the Amazon Critter Corner Cart, inside the display case on the LEFT (when you are looking through the back of the cart) Stick insects are only to be handled once per day. Check the sign out sheet to determine how many times they have already been handled today. Wash hands before and after handling with isagel, the no-rinse alcohol sanitizer. The isagel is stored in a small pump beside the insects. HANDLING TECHNIQUE: Place one hand flat in front of the stick insect. Coax the stick insect onto your hand by gently nudging it from behind. Do NOT pull the stick insect off any substrate—this might pull off its legs. Using the handling techniques, carefully place a stick insect in a pal pen. The pal pens are stored underneath the insect habitats. Do not take stick insects with missing appendages. Be extremely careful to ensure that the juveniles do NOT escape. They are small and fast and are often around the doorway to the exhibit. If the stick insect happens to poop while you are holding it or while it is in the pal pen it is EXTREMELY important that you return that poop to the stick insects habitat. Poop and eggs look the same and we don’t want a stick bug infestation. In the gallery, the stick insects can crawl on your bare hands and arms. Do not let the stick insects crawl on clothes. The small hairs on their legs can easily get caught on clothing. This makes it difficult to remove the stick insects from clothing. Visitors can hold the stick insect on their bare hand. Because their legs are so fragile, we don’t encourage touching so as not to put pressure on the legs. Use your discretion and the following tips when allowing guests to handling the stick insects: Ask the visitor to hold their hand out flat, beside yours but a little bit higher. Stick bugs like to climb and they will use their front limbs to locate the visitors hand and climb up. 25 Make sure visitor holds their hand still and doesn’t suddenly pull away. This could harm the stick insects’ legs. If a visitor seems nervous about handling the stick insect, say no. Don’t let young children handle the stick insects. You can place a hand underneath theirs when they are handling as a precaution in case they drop the animal. Always make sure that you hold the pal-pen underneath the stick insect to catch any eggs or droppings that she may produce. If a stick insect is very active, return it to its habitat and replace it with another stick insect. Empty any contents from the pal pens into the stick insect habitat. Return it to its home in the critter corner cart. Ensure the door and latch of the habitat are firmly closed. Record on the sign out sheet your name, date, animals handled, and comments regarding the animals behaviour or anything unusual that happened during the handling session. Wash your hands with isagel. You can properly wash your hands in the washroom as well. 26 HERPTILES (box on cart) Props: - Crocodile Skin Shoe - Snakeskin Shoe - Snake Shed Pieces - Boa Skin - Stuffed Caiman - Gecko Fan - Anaconda Skull - Tortoise Shell Baby Anaconda Iguana Skull Stuffed Cane Toad Anaconda Rope Length & Skin Poison Dart Holder - Iguana Jaw Poison Arrow Frog Tortoise Egg Laminated Snakeskin X2 Variety of Plastic Frogs and Snake Key Topics: What is a herptile? Amphibians and Reptiles. What makes them a ____? Diversity and adaptations to fill a variety of niches Roles they play in the ecosystem Conservation issues Ideas: Discuss: What’s the difference between a crocodile and an alligator? Where do caimans fit in? (See Aqua Facts: Crocodilians in your volunteer folder or online) Think: Counter shading of caiman skin. How does this help them to survive? Look & Discuss: Shoe and Caiman skin while looking at live caimans - Illegal poaching is their biggest threat, skin is used to make shoes amongst other things. Some countries have ranching programs to farm caimans. Do: Stretch out anaconda skin to see how big it is! Feel: Snake shed pieces Think: Anaconda skull – look at teeth, which way do they point? Why? Is it poisonous? Discuss: Land turtle= tortoise, look at tortoise shell Look: at live frogs and poison dart holder – put frogs near fire to exude poison. Think: medicinal use of frog poison? 27 Discuss: What’s the difference between a crocodile and an alligator? Where do caimans fit in? (See Aqua Facts: Crocodilians in your volunteer folder or online) More Ideas: Herptiles Station Background Information: Includes reptiles and amphibians Amphibians: soft eggs (in water) tadpoles developed form Reptiles: hard shelled eggs developed form Amphibians breath with their skin and lungs – cutaneous respiration; sensitive skin Reptiles just use lungs – allows stronger/thicker skin Caiman Exhibit As babies they eat various invertebrates (snails, insects, crustaceans) As adults, their diet switches – they eat more fish, water birds, snakes and other reptiles As big as 3 metres (2m is closer to reality) Ambush predators – many people wonder why the caimans don’t move; one reason is to conserve energy since they don’t eat regularly, the other is to effectively surprise their prey (many animals can spot movement very easily) Caiman are on the endangered list as their skin is sought after for commercial use. Q. What's the difference between a crocodile and an alligator? How long can they hold their breath? And many more! See ‘Crocodilians’ Aqua Facts online at www.vanaqua.org/education/aquafacts 28 C & A: Alligator D & B: Crocodile Emerald Tree Boa Exhibit Nocturnal carnivore Mainly hunt small mammals (rodents) also known to eat birds, other reptiles. Ambush predator; the boa in the exhibit is normally coiled – this is how they hunt. It waits coiled with head pointing down – strikes prey from above Constrictor All boas swallow food whole; jaws unhinge Can often go 2-3 months between feedings – slow metabolism Anaconda - See ‘Anaconda’ Aqua Facts online at www.vanaqua.org/education/aquafacts World’s largest and most powerful snake Known to grow close to 9 meters Average weight is a few hundred lbs; maximums have be up to 550lbs Possibly longest (in dispute with the python) Eat mammals (rodents, caimans, even jaguars!), caimans, birds Attacks on humans are extremely rare – most anacondas reportedly run away from humans Bear live young (gestation period ~6months) 20-50 babies a litter, ~ 30 cm long, Anacondas will also eat their babies. Constrictor Poison Arrow/Dart Frog exhibit Poison secreted from their backs; secretions increase when the frog is hot Indigenous people collected the poison by carefully heating the frog (without killing it) and collecting the poison in kapok cotton Frogs make poison chemicals from the ants they eat (red/fire ants) – when bred/raised in captivity without these ants for food, they lose their poison In captivity, they can live as long as 15 years Red-foot Tortoise Tortoises are land-dwelling turtles Can live 40-50 years, 10 – 12 inches 29 Eat mainly plants (grasses) Males will have fights whereby they will try to turn the opponent over Mata Turtle Noses have tube extensions – acts like a snorkel Eats fish by sucking them in and swallowing whole Basilisk Lizard Omnivores Can grow to approx. 1 m If frightened can run on their large hind feet Can escape predators by running on water Tiger Rat Snake As big as 3.5 metres Hunt mostly rodents, but also birds, lizards, frogs If threatened, hisses and “puffs” throat Green iguana Green iguana (Iguana iguana) Live up to 20 years in captivity Eat mainly leaves and fruits, but also known to eat carrion and insects – younger ones need more protein (growing) Largest ones can be over 2m Additional Notes: 30