The TY Geographers spent an exciting day exploring the biodiversity and threats to the Amazon rainforest from the safety of Fota Wildlife Park. The day started with a talk in the new lecture theatre, about the importance of conservation and the role of the Amazon globally. This was followed by interactive workshops led by the Fota education team, using up-to-date satellite imagery, maps and facts to illustrate the real threats to a biome at ‘tipping point’. The afternoon offered the opportunity to explore the Park. The girls were able to see up-close the rainforest adaptations of a range of native Amazon species including spider monkeys, tapirs, sloths and reptiles. As an extra treat we lunched with the peacocks, took photos with the lemurs and purred at the new lion cubs.
