Chloe's Final Zoo Class of the Year

Chloe just finished up her last zoo class of the year. She has actually enjoyed these so much more than I thought she would! The weather was absolutely terrible for three of the four classes, and if it had been me I would've been a major grump stomping through the zoo in the rain and snow, but she absolutely loved it! Guess that's the brilliance of youth...

This last class focused on how animals "play it safe" by defending themselves in the wild. Camouflage is a handy tool many animals employ to outsmart their predators. The arctic fox's brown summer fur allows it to blend in with the woods and grounds, and it turns white in the winter to blend in with the snow. Pretty cool!

The blue-tongued skink was a guest at this week's class. They are sort of bizarre-looking lizards that live in inland Australia, and their brown scales help them blend in with the environment in which they live. Their claim to fame is their bright blue tongue, which startles predators and (hopefully) scares them off. They are harmless, slow-moving creatures, so their brightly hued tongue is their only defense.

(Image courtesy of http://www.reptilesweb.com/reptiles-section/lizard-world/blue-tongue-skink.html)

Many animals live in groups because there is safety in numbers. Their odds of becoming a predator's dinner are lower, their young are more easily protected, and it's easier to hunt for food as a group.

They read the books Gray Wolf Pup by Doe Boyle and The Mitten by Jan Brett, which has been a favorite of ours for years. Chloe also got to touch a hedgehog and an opossum named Jasmine.

We're already looking forward to next Fall's classes... the boys will be old enough to attend (Sam is thrilled),  and I will be strolling the zoo with a sweet babe in arms!

"I will praise you, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works."

Psalm 9:1