Haaff Elementary students will visit the Zoo on Thursday, February 25, 2010 for the last of the Pueblo Zoo’s “Animals in Winter” programs.

Before their Zoo visit, the students will have had a slide presentation at the school intended to encourage them to think about where in the world Zoo animals come from and how they might adapt to winter in Pueblo. The program includes a discussion of temperature, day length, and seasons in different parts of the world.

During their “Winter Day at the Zoo” visit, Haaff students will rotate through three stations: a Winter Adaptations unit, a Zoo tour, and an art/writing unit.

The Winter Adaptations unit discusses physiological, morphological and behavioral adaptations that equip animals to cope with cold weather and shortage of food during a Pueblo winter.

During their Zoo tour, students will observe live animals that are active in winter and go behind-the-scenes to visit the dietary kitchen where they will learn how Zoo staff adapt animal diets and living quarters to keep the animals safe and healthy during severe cold weather.

The Art/Writing unit introduces students to identifying and interpreting tracks of some Colorado animals. Students develop their own scenario, sketch the tracks, and write a descriptive paragraph.

As with all of the Pueblo Zoo education programs, “Animals in Winter” is designed to address many of the benchmarks for Colorado Science Content Standards.

The Pueblo Zoo is a not-for-profit organization and is an accredited member of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things.

From Labor Day to Memorial Day, the Zoo is open from 9am to 4pm Monday through Saturday and noon to 4pm Sunday. For more information, call 561-1452 or visit www.pueblozoo.org.