The endangered challenge

The endangered challenge is an eye opening session that addresses how our everyday choices affect species around the world

Focusing on endangered species across the globe, students discover how simple actions can make a real and positive difference to the world’s amazing animals.

Teachers can choose either an Asian or African focus for the program. The Asian Endangered Challenge focus' on the rain forest habitats of South East Asia and issues surrounding the unsustainable palm oil industry. The African Endangered Challenge focus' on the forests of central Africa and the impacts surrounding the illegal cotan mining industry. 

Zoos Victoria is working towards a promising future shared by humans and wildlife. Conservation is a real challenge for our times and students are encouraged to be contributors’ through our existing campaigns including They're Calling On You and Don't Palm Us Off, or by organising their own action to help wildlife.

Pre visit

1. Watch our short videos (top of page) about Gorillas and Orang-utans, featuring our unique animals and talented zookeepers. If Youtube is blocked you can watch them on our Act Wild Website: Gorilla video here. Orang-utan Video here.
2. Challenge students to collect as many old mobile phones as possible and bring them to the Zoo.  Students will discover the link between gorillas and mobile phones during their program.
3. Visit Actwild.org.au and find out more about how our everyday actions affect wildlife.

Post visit

1. Upload a photo with a caption to our Act Wild Photo Gallery showing what you are doing at school to help orang-utans or gorillas. Easy!

2. Get creative and mashup your own Video! Create your own video about the Palm Oil Issue or mobile phone recycling and share it with classmates, friends, family and the rest of the world!

The Endangered Challenge addresses AusVELS levels 5-10 standards.  It supports the cross-curriculum priorities of Sustainability and Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia and addresses achievements in the domains of Science, Interpersonal Development, Personal Learning, Civics and Citizenship, English, Humanities, Communication and Thinking Processes.