By Holly Taylor, Year 10 Spanish Language Student

The Year 10 Continuing Spanish class went on an excursion to visit the National Zoo and Aquarium to learn more about animals from Latin America. We had the opportunity to research the animals that live there, as well as the challenges they face in countries like Peru and Colombia.

Latin America is home to some of the most unique animals, from the Amazon Rainforest to the Andes Mountains. When we visited the zoo, we got to see boa constrictors, capuchin monkeys, llamas, marmosets and pygmy marmosets. While these animals are amazing to behold, many of them face serious threats.

Deforestation is a huge problem in both Bolivia and Peru, and many animals lose their habitat because of this. There is also the issue of illegal wildlife trade. Many animals, in particular small monkeys and birds, are taken from the wild and sold in markets. This can push them to the brink of extinction.

While at the zoo, we took part in a scavenger hunt where we had to find certain animals and make note of their lifespan in the wild versus in captivity. Most of them live longer in captivity, where they are provided with food, and protected from predators.

We each did presentations where we got to research, write, and speak Spanish, and we all learned lots of new Spanish words, such as biodiversidad (biodiversity), deforestación (deforestation), and tráfico ilegal de animales (illegal animal trafficking). Overall, it was an amazing experience, and we had lots of fun!