Around the outdoor classrooms 

Safaris and saving endangered species at the Zoo

The year 12 Environmental Science annual trip to the Werribee Open Range Zoo aids in research contributing to the captive breeding and release of Eastern barred bandicoots. 

This year our trip came after some exciting news. The bandicoots, which were were previously classified as Extinct in Wild due to losing their habitat in the Western Volcanic Plains, have now been re-classified as Endangered. This means that while they are by no means completely out of danger, there is now a viable breeding population of them in the wild after being released into several secure sites, including Churchill Island and Mount Rothwell. 

The Zoos Victoria captive bandicoot breeding program has been one of the most successful in the world and it is exciting to think that our students have been contributing annually to the research. If you are interested in finding out more about this conservation success story, this is a great article about it. 

The class also got to have a wander and go on safari. It was touch and go if we would make it back to school on time after some giraffes decided to get in our way, but luckily they decided to move!

Rickett’s Point Marine Sanctuary

The year 11 Environmental Science class had perfect conditions for their rock platform sampling excursion last week at Rickett’s Point Marine Sanctuary. The students were collecting data for one of their CATs, which is investigating if the organism they chose to investigate is more abundant at the far edge of the reef (the low tide zone) or closer to the beach (the high tide zone). I was particularly impressed with the students’ commitment to their research when they happily got their shoes (and in some cases school socks) wet for the cause! I think the students will agree with me that we could have happily spent all day out there! The students are now analysing their data and it will eventually be turned into a scientific poster.

Ms Kerry Archer

Environmental Science teacher