Human interactions with African Ecosystems

NEW for June 2025

In this walking tour workshop, we’ll explore African Ecosystems and answer some important questions. What is biodiversity? Why do we need to understand ecosystems for conservation work?

We’ll visit a range of animals found in the complex ecosystems of Africa and we’ll discover how each species has a unique and irreplaceable role in maintaining their habitat. We’ll explore what can go wrong when human activities change the environment, and why some incredible species are facing extinction. Students will have the opportunity to engage in ecological monitoring techniques. These fun activities will provide students with researching experience, replicating techniques that are carried out in the field.

This workshop will take place in the Heart of Africa zone and the tour will provide your group with an opportunity to explore this new area of Chester Zoo. We’d therefore recommend avoiding Heart of Africa prior to your tour to maximise your time in the zoo.

The tour is subject to change due to animal availability or extreme weather. Please ensure students are dressed appropriately for a walking tour.

Age group: Key Stage 3 and 4
Duration: 50 minutes
Capacity: 20 students
Workshop cost: £50

Curriculum links

National curriculum – Key Stage 3 Science
Relationships in an ecosystem

• The interdependence of organisms in an ecosystem including food webs.
  Genetics and evolution
• Changes in the environment may leave individuals within a species, and some entire species, less well adapted to compete successfully and reproduce, which in turn may lead to extinction.

National curriculum – Key Stage 4 Science
Ecosystems

• Levels of organisation within an ecosystem
• Some abiotic and biotic factors which affect communities; the importance of interactions between organisms in a community
• Organisms are interdependent and are adapted to their environment
• The importance of biodiversity
• Methods of identifying species and measuring distribution, frequency and abundance of species within a habitat
• Positive and negative human interactions with ecosystems.

National curriculum – Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 Geography

• Understand how human and physical processes interact to influence, and change landscapes, environments and the climate; and how human activity relies on effective functioning of natural system.