In week 6 students in years 1-4 went to the Pilot Station at Low Head with Ranger John, from Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife. We learnt how long whales are by pacing out the steps on the beach, we also made bottle-nosed dolphin sand castles and played a game about echo location.

While looking at rock pools we found a New Zealand crab under some rocks. We discovered that unlike the Australian crab, the New Zealand crab has six legs and walks backwards, while the Australian crab has eight legs and walks sideways. In the rock pools groups also found jelly fish, sea stars, sand worms, anemones and a sea sponge.

 1/2 Knibbe’s group discussed the blue ringed octopus which is a sand colour and when it feels scared or threatened its skin changes to blue rings over the sand colour. Ranger John brought a stuffed Tasmanian Devil and Little Penguin to share with us. We went on the bus to the penguin sanctuary where we saw the penguin watching platform. We were lucky enough to see a seal sunbaking on the rocks. We learnt that Little Penguin scat is white in colour and they go out to sea during the day, catch fish and store it in their tummy. At night the adult penguins come in to their burrows and cough the fish up to feed their babies.

The Little Penguin is an endangered animal because feral animals eat or kill them. We learnt that volunteers have helped save the penguins by planting grass, putting up a fence and building man-made burrows which help to keep them away from wild animals. We agree that dogs or cats should not be allowed to free roam. Overall we had fun and would like to thank Ranger John, Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife and the Pilot Station for organising our seaside exploration.

By Nathaniel, Breanna, Mahtalia and Zane.