Education

Which came first – the chicken or the egg? This question has been waiting for a real answer for years. Have you heard where eggs come from? Which animal lays the largest eggs? Who are the echidnas? More questions than answers? We will be happy to answer not only these questions, but also many others and add to your knowledge about the world of living nature. Contact us, the educators of the Lithuanian Zoo are looking forward to visiting you! Let’s discover the natural world together!

In the “The insect kingdom in the Zoo” education, we will introduce the biological diversity of insects, their significance in various cultures, their importance in nature and in the food chain. You will learn how do insect develop. You will hear interesting facts about world of insects. Education involves many tasks in wich You will figure “Are they all insects?”. You will observe the Madagascar cockroach “Zazu”, the live stick “Žirnė” very close, hear interesting stories, experience indelible impressions. During education, you will learn about insects from such continents as: North America, Africa, Eurasia. You will hear what people’s activities are very dangerous for them. We will find out what would help preserve their natural environment. We will present a very special, rare beetle living in Lithuania, the Osmoderma eremita.

During the educational program, you will get to know the world’s and Lithuania’s cold-blooded animals – reptiles, in Lithuanian folklore, guardians of homes, snakes. We will start the education with a question – does a turtle live in Lithuania? After answering the question, we will find out which animal groups reptiles belong to. We will get to know these animals more closely, learn about their biology. We will complete the task and solve the mystery of who is hiding in the “Black Bag”? At the end of the education, we will learn how to deal with reptiles when we meet them in nature. And if you keep a reptile at home, you will learn how to take care of it properly: take it safely, take care of it, and count years for turtle. After completing the task, you will learn how you can contribute to the conservation of endangered reptile species.

During the education, we invite you on a trip, where you will hear the story of professor Tad Ivanauskas’ kranklis Krumkas. You will get to know the gullible and friendly, predatory and dangerous, unique animals of Lithuania. When you arrive on the trip, you will be able to turn the pages of the red book live. You will learn the characteristics of some species, the greatest threats to them and the possibilities of their conservation.

During the educational program about rodents, you will get to know the largest group of mammals, their diversity, lifestyle and their role in the environment. During the education, we will discuss the best characteristics of rodents, their uniqueness, and the connection with the cultures of other countries. We will discuss and share the acquired knowledge and experience, we will analyze the prevailing stereotypes about rodents in various cultures, we will find out why they are often kept as pets. Although rodents are often labeled as pests, they play a very important role in biomedicine in genetic and oncology research. They are a very important part of the food chain that helps many species of animals survive.

Who was first, the wolf or the dog? Why is responsibility proportional to freedom? 5? What are we even talking about here? We are talking about the fact that every animal must have freedom! And not one, but all 5! To meet all his needs. Let’s meet in the animal welfare laboratory and the educators of the Lithuanian Zoo will help to understand the formula of happiness and understand the freedoms of animals!

During the educational program “Endangered animals and their preservation possibilities”, participants will visit rare and endangered animals in the zoo’s collection, after choosing an endangered animal species, they will solve the fundamental issues of conservation of that species, they will be encouraged to behave respectfully in nature and feel responsible for its preservation. Later, the education is continued in the Zoo School, where participants find out what the mysterious red tablecloth hides.

The history of knowledge of the world of reptiles goes back to the time of dinosaurs. These animals cause us different emotions: some of us admire them and keep them as pets at home, while others fear them. During the education, we will learn about the biological diversity of reptiles. We will find out what groups of animals reptiles belong to, why we call them cold-blooded animals, what is special about their skin, how they take care of their young, and we will reveal many more secrets about these animals. We will tell you about the species of reptiles living in Lithuania and why we are carrying out a project to preserve the population of the ball turtle in the zoo. We will learn about the threat of invasive turtle species to our only endangered species, the Bald Turtle, and how we can contribute to its conservation.

During the remote educational program, you will get to know representatives of cold-blooded animals – amphibians. We will find out when and how amphibians appeared, what makes them special and significant in the environment around us. We will analyze the stereotypes about amphibians prevailing in various cultures, we will remember the tales we heard and the role of these animals in them. There are around 7,000 species of amphibians in the world, but how much do we know about them? How does an amphibian develop, what is its life cycle? During the education, we will discuss the stages of metamorphosis of amphibians, their incredible adaptation and their defense mechanisms, with which amphibians can really surprise you. We can meet amphibians not only near water bodies. They are also common in environments that you wouldn’t have thought of. And do you know how many species of amphibians live in Lithuania? During the education, you will get to know the rarest and protected amphibians of our country, you will find out what kind of amphibian conservation project is being carried out by the Lithuanian Zoo. We will invite you to join this educational program and visit the Lithuanian Zoo virtually via the Zoom platform.

During the education, you will get to know the biological features of birds of prey. You will find out how many owl bird species live in Lithuania. We will invite you to a virtual tour and introduce you to the birds of prey of the Lithuanian Zoo. We will tell you about the mysterious bird of dusk and night – the Great Egret. Meeting this bird in nature is a huge challenge. You will be more likely to see and hear in video reports or photos. During the education, you will learn the peculiarities of this bird: diet, lifestyle, how herons see, how they hear, where they hatch their young, and how each of us can contribute to the preservation of this very rare species. We will complete the task, we will observe and research together and find out – who has become the egret’s dinners this time. There are only 10-20 breeding pairs of great herons in Lithuania, and the life and survival of these birds is affected by inappropriate human activities.