On Monday the 11th of January, Mr. Marron, his CSPE class and Mr. Corcoran set off for Dublin Zoo. We went there to learn more about the white rhino, which is an example of an endangered animal. We chose this topic as our ‘Action Project’ because it relates to the ‘stewardship’ section of the CSPE course, but also because we were interested in how we could help these endangered animals.
On arriving at the zoo, we met John who was our guide and source of information for the day. We had an hour-long Q&A session in the Education Building, where we discovered more interesting facts about this animal and also learned about many other related topics such as Biodiversity, Conservation and the role of Zoos. I never knew that rhino horns often sell for more than diamonds or gold! You could see why poachers see them as a valuable commodity.
Following the talk, we had a tour around the zoo, focusing particularly on endangered animals including the Sumatran Tiger and the Mountain Gorilla. Although we had to brace ourselves against the cold east wind, we nonetheless enjoyed seeing the majestic giraffe and the regal lion. After a swift walk to the African Plains of Dublin Zoo, we also saw the white rhino. What a fantastic animal! It must be amazing to see it in the wild.
The white rhino was a privilege to witness and we learned so many new and interesting facts about them. We never knew that the white rhino only lives for about 40 years or that the adult male can weigh up to 3 tonnes! We also found out that the white rhino can be found mostly in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
We had a fantastic day learning about these endangered species and – together with my own research – I will have more than enough information to complete my action project for CSPE. I would strongly recommend going to the zoo to witness any of these wonderful animals in all their glory.
Brian Gallagher
Pictured above are: GAP student Dominic Tynan, Sean Brogan, Kieran Clohessy, Jack Deasy, Ross MacGoey, Charlie Kelly, Thristian Hylle, Nathan Behan Lyons and GAP student Joe Schwager
