London Zoo Stock Take
WORKSHEET
Vocabulary
Zoo
A place where animals are kept and people can visit.Animal
A living creature, not a plant.Count
To determine the total number of something.Species
A group of similar animals or plants.Reptiles
Cold-blooded animals that lay eggs, like snakes and turtles.Endangered
At risk of disappearing or becoming extinct.Penguins
A type of bird that swims and lives in cold places.Pollution
Harmful substances in the environment.Climate change
Long-term changes in the Earth's weather patterns.Zookeeper
A person who takes care of animals in a zoo.Record
A written or electronic account of something that is kept for future use.Healthy
In good condition; not sick or injured.
Grammar Points
Present Simple Tense
Used for habits and facts (e.g., "This count takes place every year and takes about a week to complete").Present Continuous Tense
Used for ongoing actions (e.g., "They are having a hard time in the wild because of climate change").Comparatives
Used to compare two things (e.g., "Counting two lions: easy. Counting thousands of fish: not so easy").Modals (can, could)
Used to express ability or possibility (e.g., "We can easily pick them out from a distance").There is/There are
Used to state the existence of something (e.g., "There are around 95 zookeepers at London Zoo").Wh- Questions
Used to ask for information (e.g., "How many animals do they have?").
Activities
Activity 1
Animal Fact Matching
Instructions
Match the animal to the correct fact by drawing a line between them.
| Animal | Fact |
|---|---|
| 1. Sumatran Tiger | A. This animal is endangered due to ocean pollution. |
| 2. Galapagos Tortoise | B. This animal has stripes. |
| 3. Penguin | C. This reptile moves very slowly and is easy to count. |
| 4. Fish | D. This animal is difficult to count because there are so many. |
Activity 2
Choose the Correct Verb (Multiple Choice)
Instructions
Circle the correct verb to complete each sentence.
The zookeepers (count / dance) the animals every year.
Right now, the penguins (swim / read) in the pool.
The zoo (keeps / sings) a record of all its animals.
Climate change (affects / plays) many animal species around the world.
Every day, the zookeepers (feed / paint) the animals.
Activity 3
Describe the Animal
Instructions
Choose an animal from the zoo and describe it using at least three of the following vocabulary words: species, count, endangered, zookeeper, animal, reptile, healthy. Share your description with a partner.
Questions
Why do zookeepers count the animals every year at the zoo?
How do zookeepers identify the penguins at London Zoo?
What challenges do some animals face in the wild, and how does the zoo help them?
TRANSCRIPT
London Zoo Stock Take
NARRATOR:
These Sumatran tigers are the first of 300 animal species that zookeepers here at London Zoo are counting as part of their yearly stock take. This count takes place every year, and takes about a week to complete.
Next in line are the Galapagos giant tortoises. These reptiles are easy to count because they move very slowly. But counting other animals can be more challenging…
SOUNDBITE - Dan Simmonds:
“Counting 2 lions: easy. Counting thousands of fish: not so easy. So, actually, we group them together. It’s a really great day at the zoo, but yeah, some slightly more challenging than others to count.”
NARRATOR:
With many animal populations getting smaller, the yearly count helps the zoo to keep a record of how many animals they have, and protect animals of all shapes and sizes. The zoo shares the information with other zookeepers around the world to help save endangered species, like these penguins from South America. They are having a hard time in the wild because of climate change and ocean pollution, but they are doing well in the zoo.
SOUNDBITE - Jessica Fryer:
“We feed them their breakfast every morning and we try to get everyone to come over then and then we have a little tick sheet. So every single time we see our Penguins we tick them off that we've seen them and that they're nice and healthy. However, it can be quite difficult and there are always some that like to be swimming in the pool. So the easiest way that we can actually identify the Penguins is they'll have their own little sort of wing band where they have different colour beads on them, so from a distance we can easily pick them out.”
NARRATOR:
There are around 95 zookeepers at London Zoo, but with more than 14,000 animals to count, they are truly outnumbered!