Student get scaly for science

The Western Australian Reptile Park Excursion

Our day finally arrived for the Year 8 Enrichment class excursion to the Western Australian Reptile Park in Henley Brook.  When we arrived, we met our guide and had our lunch.  We were so excited and we were allowed 30 minutes to explore the different enclosures where snakes, turtle, birds, lizards, bobtail, foxes, dingos, crocodile, Komodo dragon, wombat, chickens, and ducks all lived (not all reptiles).

Our first workshop was to learn about first aid, what to do if we were ever bitten by a venomous snake. The first step was not to wash the bite mark, because the doctors will need to test the venom to apply the anti-venom. Then, lightly wrap up the bite mark with bandages, and then apply a splint so you don't move your wrist or leg. This can slow down the blood circulating around the body, which is very important to reduce the poison from causing too much damage to your organs.

Next, we learnt about bobtail lizards and their environment. We placed the lizards on our laps and some of them went to the toilet on us, which was really funny.  Then we learnt about snakes and got to hold a Carpet Python and Woma snake. Snakes are cold blooded animals and when it gets really cold, the snakes metabolism will slow down and they will Brumate, meaning that during hibernation, snakes will use stored fat to survive the cold winter months, which is a type of chemical and potential energy source.

After we held the snakes, we quickly took a group photo at the front of the Western Australian Reptile Park entrance and returned to school. The time went quickly, and we didn't get the chance to have the Dingo workshop, but at the end of the day it was a fun experience, and we learnt a lot.

Article by:  Leah McColl and Soul Hwang

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