Go on a Habitat Hunt
Go for a nature walk and see how many animal homes you can spot. Remember to just look and to try not to disturb the creatures. In Autumn, as the leaves fall from our trees, it can be easier to spot bird’s nests. Can you spot any rabbit burrows? What about places that frogs or lizards might live? Where would bugs be hiding?
It really makes you look differently at a space when you are thinking about all of the creatures that live there! What native animals might be around? What predators might be lurking? You may not be able to see these animals, but you could think about where they might be hiding, and you might find signs of them. Look for clues like scratches on trees, footprints, droppings, feathers, and burrows. You might notice a tree with lots of scratch marks, foliage that has been eaten, and droppings underneath… there’s probably a possum near by! If you go past a stream or pond, what animals do you think might live in or around it? Remember to gently lift up rocks and logs, look under loose bark on trees, and look closely around plants. Rotten logs are wonderful places to find lots of insects and other bugs living together.
You could become an animal detective and take on our Habitat Hunt challenge. See the printable scavenger hunt below. If you’re with friends see who can cross off a line first. Who can find everything on the grid?
Or, you could go exploring and list all of the creatures that you spot and where you find them. It would be really interesting to put on a headlamp and explore the same area in the dark. You’ll find lots of animals come out of hiding that you didn’t even notice were there.
Have fun exploring your natural environment and finding out more about the millions of creatures that you are sharing it with!
Click on the image to download and print the pdf
