Special Edition Classmate - Dublin City Council · Special Edition. Family is very important to elephants, and this is evident in the strong family ties among the elephants at Dublin

Dublin City Council’s Primary School Magazine Iris do Bhunscoileanna, Autumn 2014 / An an Fómhar 2014

Special Edition

Family is very important to elephants, and this is evident in the strong family ties among the elephants at Dublin Zoo. There are currently five adult elephants at the Zoo: one male, known as the bull, and four females – or cows – who are all related. This is an exciting year for the elephants with new calves added to the herd.

Like humans, elephants live together in groups, and they form extremely close bonds with relatives that endure throughout their lives. This is particularly true for female elephants. In the wild, families of females live together in larger groups called herds, which are usually led by an older female. She’s called the matriarch. Her experience is crucial

Elephants are very intelligent animals and it’s not a myth that they have a very good memory.

They have large brains and are known to never forget a face.

Zoo keepers bond quickly with elephants as the familiarity in the elephant and keeper relationship develops quite quickly due to this particular character trait.

In the wild, this ability to remember places and directions is essential to elephants’ survival. Elephants also use their sense of smell to separate and identify friend from foe. Their acute sense of perception means they can discriminate, whether danger is near. Their knowledge of their surroundings means they are able

to prevent themselves from delving into dangerous situations, as elephant keeper James explains:

“Elephants have to negotiate large parts of the forest that, as you can imagine, look very similar – but they can pick out key markers, where there’s water and the different times of the year when seasonal food is available.

“They eat up to about 200kg of food a day and in the wild they spend about 17 hours a day feeding. Their food is very low nutritionally; it’s high-fibre plant material so they constantly need to be on the lookout for food.

“So perhaps this highly intelligent animal has rightly earned its reputation for never forgetting.”

Does an elephant ever forget?

Dublin Zoo is home to a family of Asian elephants, and this year the family is getting bigger

One big happy family

Hi everybody,Welcome back after your summer holidays. I hope you all enjoyed your time off.

We have a special ‘Elephant themed’ edition of Classmate for you this month to celebrate the birth of two new elephant calves at the Zoo.

Dublin Zoo is home to a family of Asian Elephants and this year the family is getting bigger!This October, Dublin City Council will team up with Dublin Zoo to bring you ‘Month of the Elephant’, It will be an ‘elephantastic’ month with an exciting ‘elephant themed’ calendar of family fun days, events, workshops and keeper talks all around Dublin city and at the Zoo.To find out more about what is happening during October to celebrate Dublin’s herd of Asian Elephants visit www.dublinzoo.ie

During your summer holidays Daniel Sheedy, age 8 from St Joseph’s BNS, in Terenure, Dublin 6W, interviewed the new Lord Mayor of Dublin, Christy Burke. See page 11 to find out what questions Daniel asked him.To celebrate the birth of two new elephant calves and their family of Asian Elephants, Dublin City Libraries have created a special ‘Elephant themed’ reading list and crossword for you. See page 12 to find out more. Did you know that Dublin City Council is planning to build a new City Library at Parnell Square? The library is due to open in 2018. What do you imagine a new City Library would look like? We are inviting you to send us in pictures of what sort of a library space you would like to be in. To find out more about this exciting project and your change to win a book token worth €25, see page 13.Did you know that the author of ’Dracula’, Bram Stoker was born in Dublin. Dublin City Council is delighted to present the third Bram Stoker Festival in Dublin from 24th – 27th October. See page 18 to find out more.Congratulations to Greatness Leleji, age 9, from St Peter’s NS, Phibsboro, Dublin 7, who was the overall winner of the Design a front Cover for this Special Edition of Classmate. You have won a trip to Dublin Zoo with your class. See page 19 to see if you were one of the other lucky winners who won a 1-day family pass to the Zoo. Thank you to everyone who entered the competition.

Slán go foil

What is inside?Céard atá faoi iamh?

3. Dublin Zoo is Home to a Family of Asian Elephants

5. Meet the Elephants at the Zoo

6. Spot the Difference:

Asian and African Elephants

7. Life in the Herd

8. Anatomy of an Elephant

9. Elephant Development - Timeline

10. Conservation: How we Can Help the Asian Elephant

11. Interview with Lord Mayor Christy Burke

12. News from Dublin City Public Libraries

14. Be Inspired by all the animals in Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane

16. Aimsigh an Difríocht Eilifint na hÁise agus Eilifint na hAfraice

18. Information on Bram Stoker Festival

19 . Front Cover Competition Winners

20. Colour in a Front Cover Competition

2

Family is very important to elephants, and this is evident in the strong family ties among the elephants at Dublin Zoo. There are currently five adult elephants at the Zoo: one male, known as the bull, and four females – or cows – who are all related. This is an exciting year for the elephants with new calves added to the herd.

Like humans, elephants live together in groups, and they form extremely close bonds with relatives that endure throughout their lives. This is particularly true for female elephants. In the wild, families of females live together in larger groups called herds, which are usually led by an older female. She’s called the matriarch. Her experience is crucial

Elephants are very intelligent animals and it’s not a myth that they have a very good memory.

They have large brains and are known to never forget a face.

Zoo keepers bond quickly with elephants as the familiarity in the elephant and keeper relationship develops quite quickly due to this particular character trait.

In the wild, this ability to remember places and directions is essential to elephants’ survival. Elephants also use their sense of smell to separate and identify friend from foe. Their acute sense of perception means they can discriminate, whether danger is near. Their knowledge of their surroundings means they are able

to prevent themselves from delving into dangerous situations, as elephant keeper James explains:

“Elephants have to negotiate large parts of the forest that, as you can imagine, look very similar – but they can pick out key markers, where there’s water and the different times of the year when seasonal food is available.

“They eat up to about 200kg of food a day and in the wild they spend about 17 hours a day feeding. Their food is very low nutritionally; it’s high-fibre plant material so they constantly need to be on the lookout for food.

“So perhaps this highly intelligent animal has rightly earned its reputation for never forgetting.”

Does an elephant ever forget?

Dublin Zoo is home to a family of Asian elephants, and this year the family is getting bigger

One big happy family

3

to the survival of the herd, as during her long life she has developed the skills and the knowledge to be able to find enough food and water for the entire herd. Bull elephants, however, usually live alone, or they may sometimes live in small groups with other bulls. The family of elephants at Dublin Zoo is quite unusual in that the bull elephant, Upali, spends most of his days with the female group.

“We’re unique because the bull is very social,” elephant keeper James Creighton explains. “He’s a zoo-born animal. Normally the males would lead a solitary life and in the wild only come in contact when the female is ready to mate. They spend the vast majority of their life as a solitary animal. But Upali is very social so he likes to be with the females during the day. However, he prefers to sleep on his own at nighttime. So, he has his own house, but he will generally stay with the females from around 9.30 in the morning until around 3 o’clock in the afternoon every day.”

Three of the females were in advanced pregnancy this year, so James and his colleagues of the elephant care team have

been busy preparing for the births and caring for the new arrivals. It’s an important time.“We have an elephant breeding programme at Dublin Zoo,” James says. “Two years ago, Upali arrived from Chester Zoo as part of the European breeding programme. He’s not related to the females and they were ready to breed again. So, a brand-new house was built for him and he was moved over.”

The elephants at Dublin Zoo are all Asian elephants, which are currently more endangered than African elephants. James explains that the elephants in Dublin Zoo have a key role as ambassadors for elephants in the wild.

“We give an educational talk from March to September every day at 12.30pm at the Kaziranga Forest Trail, basically to tell people about the elephants at the zoo, and to tell them about the threats facing elephants in the wild and what people can do to conserve them in the wild.”

Keep an eye on the Dublin Zoo elephant webcam and you may catch a glimpse of the new arrivals - www.dublinzoo.ie/17/webcam. aspx

Indian blackbucksThe elephant herd shares their habitat at Dublin Zoo with another animal, a type of antelope called the Indian blackbuck. This replicates conditions in the wild where an elephants and Indian blackbucks habitat overlap.

“We’ve got four Indian blackbuck females and one male who share the habitat with the elephants all the time, and it’s a good stimulus for the elephants,” James says. “Sometimes the elephants play and try to chase after them. The blackbuck are capable of bouncing and jumping, so a couple of bounces and they’re away from the elephants. It’s a good stimulus for the blackbuck too.”

Birth - an exciting time for the elephant herd

The elephant keepers at Dublin

Zoo had a busy time this year

looking after three elephants who

were expecting calves. As part

of the Zoo’s successful breeding

programme, three of the four cows

- Bernhardine, Yasmin and Anak -

had become pregnant. Birth is an

important event for elephants, and

all of the females stay together when

a new calf is born - including seven-

year-old Asha, the youngest member

of the group.

When a birth takes place in the

Zoo, all the cows are present. The

elephants live on a thick layer of

sand. This sand surface is two

meters deep which creates a very

natural environment and a soft

surface for the new arrival to land on.

“During the birth there is a lot of

excitement. Conditions at Dublin

Zoo are as natural as possible so we

don’t separate any of the females.

For the younger elephants, like Asha,

it’s a very good learning experience.

Asha isn’t pregnant as she’s a bit

too young so it’s a big event for her

and she will learn so much from it.

There are different smells, a lot of

vocalisation, a lot of noise. It’s a big

family event.”

Calves spend a long time in their

mother’s womb before they are

born. After elephants mate, it takes

up to 22 months - almost two years

- before the calf is born. The calf is

already very well developed at birth.

Incredibly, within 20 minutes to half

an hour, the calf will be able to stand.

Births nearly always take place at

nighttime, when it is cooler and the

herd is not moving so that the calves

have until the morning to master

walking.

The elephants at Dublin ZooDublin Zoo’s seven elephants are all Asian elephants. These are the members of the family:

Habitat - where do elephants live?

Asian elephants live in Asia from India in the west to Borneo in the east.

African elephant herds wander through 37 countries in Africa south of the Sahara Desert.

Sahara Desert

BernhardineBorn June 16, 1984,

Rotterdam Zoo. Bernhardine is the

oldest female in the herd, which means she

is the matriarch. She has no hair on her tail and has a bony back.

UpaliBorn November 14, 1994, Zurich Zoo.

The only adult male elephant in the

Dublin Zoo herd. He is the biggest

elephant in the herd and has tusks.

YasminBorn November

25, 1990, at Rotterdam Zoo.

Yasmin is the sister of Bernhardine.

AnakBorn July 26,

2003, Rotterdam Zoo. Anak is

the daughter of Yasmin. She has

little tusks – known as tushes.

AshaBorn May 7, 2007, Dublin Zoo. Asha is the daughter of Bernhardine and the first elephant

to be born in Dublin Zoo.

Bullelephant calf

Born at 7.22am on Thursday, July 17,

2014, Dublin Zoo, to mother Yasmin and

father Upali.

Bullelephant calf

Born at 6.24am on Tuesday, August 19th,

2014, Dublin Zoo, to mother Anak and

father Upali.

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The elephants at Dublin ZooDublin Zoo’s seven elephants are all Asian elephants. These are the members of the family:

Habitat - where do elephants live?

Asian elephants live in Asia from India in the west to Borneo in the east.

African elephant herds wander through 37 countries in Africa south of the Sahara Desert.

Sahara Desert

BernhardineBorn June 16, 1984,

Rotterdam Zoo. Bernhardine is the

oldest female in the herd, which means she

is the matriarch. She has no hair on her tail and has a bony back.

UpaliBorn November 14, 1994, Zurich Zoo.

The only adult male elephant in the

Dublin Zoo herd. He is the biggest

elephant in the herd and has tusks.

YasminBorn November

25, 1990, at Rotterdam Zoo.

Yasmin is the sister of Bernhardine.

AnakBorn July 26,

2003, Rotterdam Zoo. Anak is

the daughter of Yasmin. She has

little tusks – known as tushes.

AshaBorn May 7, 2007, Dublin Zoo. Asha is the daughter of Bernhardine and the first elephant

to be born in Dublin Zoo.

Bullelephant calf

Born at 7.22am on Thursday, July 17,

2014, Dublin Zoo, to mother Yasmin and

father Upali.

Bullelephant calf

Born at 6.24am on Tuesday, August 19th,

2014, Dublin Zoo, to mother Anak and

father Upali.

5

Spot the difference: Asian and African elephants

EarsOne of the first differences you might notice is the shape and size of the elephants’ ears. All elephants have distinctive large ears, which serve a very important function. The ears release excess heat from the elephants’ bodies to help keep them cool. This obviously comes in useful, as elephants live in some of the hottest parts of the world. However, the African elephant has larger ears than the Asian elephant. Asian elephants have smaller and rounded ears.

SizeAnother obvious difference is size. The African elephant is larger than the Asian elephant, and is also heavier. That makes the African elephant the largest animal now walking the earth. A fully grown adult African elephant can stand up to four metres tall and can weigh over 6,000kg.

TusksHere’s something else that you can’t miss, or rather that you might miss: You won’t see tusks on many Asian elephants. If Asian elephants do have tusks, they may be very small. Both male and female African elephants have tusks.

HeadsIf you were to look at an Asian and African elephant ’head to head’, you would notice that their head shapes are different. African elephants have more rounded heads. The top of the head is a single dome, while Asian elephants have a twin-domed head with an indent or dip in the middle.

TrunksElephants’ trunks are useful for grasping and manipulating objects such as food. At the end of the trunk, an Asian elephant has one ‘finger’ for this purpose while an African elephant’s trunk has two ‘fingers’.

ASIAN ELEPHANT AFRICAN ELEPHANT

Weight 2,000 to 5,000kg 2,250 to 6,350kg

Height 2 to 3m at shoulder 2.5 to 4m at shoulder

Ears Smaller Larger

Tusks Females usually have no tusks Both males and females have tusks

Head Indented head Rounded head shape

Skin Smoother skin More wrinkled skin

Where? Southeast Asia, India, Sri Lanka Africa

Lifespan Up to 60 years Up to 70 years

Scientific name Elephas maximus Loxodonta africana

The elephant you might encounter in a forest in Asia or the elephant roaming the grassland plains of the Serengeti in Africa are different animals. Look carefully and you will see some interesting differences between them.

Asian Elephant African Elephant

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Spot the difference: Asian and African elephants

EarsOne of the first differences you might notice is the shape and size of the elephants’ ears. All elephants have distinctive large ears, which serve a very important function. The ears release excess heat from the elephants’ bodies to help keep them cool. This obviously comes in useful, as elephants live in some of the hottest parts of the world. However, the African elephant has larger ears than the Asian elephant. Asian elephants have smaller and rounded ears.

SizeAnother obvious difference is size. The African elephant is larger than the Asian elephant, and is also heavier. That makes the African elephant the largest animal now walking the earth. A fully grown adult African elephant can stand up to four metres tall and can weigh over 6,000kg.

TusksHere’s something else that you can’t miss, or rather that you might miss: You won’t see tusks on many Asian elephants. If Asian elephants do have tusks, they may be very small. Both male and female African elephants have tusks.

HeadsIf you were to look at an Asian and African elephant ’head to head’, you would notice that their head shapes are different. African elephants have more rounded heads. The top of the head is a single dome, while Asian elephants have a twin-domed head with an indent or dip in the middle.

TrunksElephants’ trunks are useful for grasping and manipulating objects such as food. At the end of the trunk, an Asian elephant has one ‘finger’ for this purpose while an African elephant’s trunk has two ‘fingers’.

ASIAN ELEPHANT AFRICAN ELEPHANT

Weight 2,000 to 5,000kg 2,250 to 6,350kg

Height 2 to 3m at shoulder 2.5 to 4m at shoulder

Ears Smaller Larger

Tusks Females usually have no tusks Both males and females have tusks

Head Indented head Rounded head shape

Skin Smoother skin More wrinkled skin

Where? Southeast Asia, India, Sri Lanka Africa

Lifespan Up to 60 years Up to 70 years

Scientific name Elephas maximus Loxodonta africana

The elephant you might encounter in a forest in Asia or the elephant roaming the grassland plains of the Serengeti in Africa are different animals. Look carefully and you will see some interesting differences between them.

Asian Elephant African Elephant

Life in the herd

Solitary maleWhen male elephants mature, they leave their herd and travel between groups of females in order to maximise their chances of fathering a calf.

Matriarch femaleElephant society revolves around a single dominant female. As one of the older females in the group, the matriarch is an experienced mother. Her knowledge of finding water sources, feeding grounds and migration routes is vital to the survival of the herd. This knowledge is passed down through generations.

Shared responsibilityAunts, sisters and grandmothers all care for the calves. They often cluster around at the birth of a newborn and work together to shield their vulnerable young from threats.

Social bondsFemale elephants remain with their families for life and develop strong bonds with their mothers, sisters, aunts and nieces. They gather around to share important moments together and remain in regular and close communication with one another using low-frequency sounds. After a period of separation, the female elephants will greet each other by touching trunks.

Living alongside othersThe watering hole doesn’t just attract the elephant herd; other animals also take advantage of it. The elephants approach watering holes with extra caution, as often there are other predators lying in wait. While the elephant has no natural predators, some big cats may try attacking a stray elephant calf. In Africa, some lion prides prey on the juvenile elephants during drought months.

Elephants develop unbreakable bonds with family groups within the herd

Inside the minds of giants

Elephants are highly intelligent, social animals, living in close family units within the herd, particularly the female elephants. Elephants are not territorial and families travel great distances to find food and water, with a home range of between 15 and 1,500sq km. The ranges of different herds often overlap.

Water priorityThe top priority for an elephant herd is water – an elephant must drink up to 200 litres of water per day, and with their excellent memory, the female elephants can lead their families to watering holes they may not have visited in years. Elephants are most active in the cooler hours, between dusk and dawn, spending most of their time eating. They have also a big impact on vegetation because of their large food intake.During the hottest part of the day, elephants will seek out shade. They wallow in dust and mud, using their trunks to spray their bodies and cool their skin. The coating of mud protects their skin from sunburn.Elephants don’t sleep until the early hours of the morning and can spend up to four hours just resting, mostly standing or lying on their sides.

African Elephant

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Anatomy of an elephantElephants are the largest living terrestrial animals and have unique physical features. Here’s a look at their different functions:

TrunkAn elephant’s trunk is a fusion of the nose and upper lip which the elephant uses for different purposes. These include breathing, drinking, making sounds to communicate, and grasping and manipulating objects and food. This makes the trunk a very important part of the elephant’s anatomy. The trunk contains thousands of muscles but not a single bone.

Tusks Tusks are actually elongated teeth and are used to dig in the soil to search for water and roots as well as to strip the bark from trees and to move things out of the way. Elephants also use their tusks to defend themselves from attackers. Tusks are made of ivory, which is a hard white substance that is highly valued and traded. Ivory poaching has led to many elephants being hunted and killed. Evidence indicates that elephants normally prefer one tusk over the other, similar to being left or right handed in humans.

EarsThe elephant’s ears release excess heat from the elephant’s bodies by means of a network of blood vessels called capillaries. The capillaries carry blood to the surface of the skin, allowing the blood to cool.

SkinThe elephant’s skin is typically grey and can be quite thick, around 2 to 3 cm in places. The skin provides protection against bites and bumps and varying weather conditions. For added protection, elephants will frequently cover parts of their skin with mud or other matter, in the same way that humans apply sun cream or insect repellent.

FeetThe bones of an elephant’s foot are angled upwards, so that when elephants walk they are effectively walking on tiptoes. Elephants’ feet are circular and have a strong fatty pad underneath which acts as a shock absorber.

What does an elephant eat?

Elephants are known as ‘megaherbivores’. They eat all kinds of plant material, such as grasses, branches, leaves and, sometimes, wild fruit. More than two-thirds of the day may be spent feeding on grasses, but large amounts of tree bark, roots, leaves and small stems are also eaten. Cultivated crops, such as bananas, rice and sugarcane, are favoured foods. Because they need to drink frequently, elephants are always close to a source of fresh water. As they require such large quantities of food to sustain their massive bodies, they can deplete food sources very quickly and must roam over great distances while foraging.

Elephant development: timelineFIRST STEPSAfter 20 to 30 minutes, the calf’s legs straighten out from being curled up in the womb and the calves quickly take their first steps.

SUCKLINGFrom 0-3 years, male calves grow faster and the size difference between the two sexes is evident in the first two years.

MASTERING THE TRUNKFrom 1-5 years, the calves master the use of their trunk, which is made up of thousands of muscles but no bones.

WEANINGFrom 3-5 years, the calves continue to suckle until a sibling is born.

BIRTH Weighing around 80kg, newborn elephants are similar in weight to an adult human.

0-3 years 0-5 years

SEXUAL MATURITYFrom 10-14 years, the male and female elephants reach sexual maturity.

AGEINGElephants can reach an age of 50 - 70 years.

REPRODUCTIONA female elephant produces a calf every five to six years between the age of 10 - 50 years old.

LEAVE THE HERDThe male elephants leave the herd at 12-14 years.

10-14 years 20-50 years 60+ years

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Anatomy of an elephantElephants are the largest living terrestrial animals and have unique physical features. Here’s a look at their different functions:

TrunkAn elephant’s trunk is a fusion of the nose and upper lip which the elephant uses for different purposes. These include breathing, drinking, making sounds to communicate, and grasping and manipulating objects and food. This makes the trunk a very important part of the elephant’s anatomy. The trunk contains thousands of muscles but not a single bone.

Tusks Tusks are actually elongated teeth and are used to dig in the soil to search for water and roots as well as to strip the bark from trees and to move things out of the way. Elephants also use their tusks to defend themselves from attackers. Tusks are made of ivory, which is a hard white substance that is highly valued and traded. Ivory poaching has led to many elephants being hunted and killed. Evidence indicates that elephants normally prefer one tusk over the other, similar to being left or right handed in humans.

EarsThe elephant’s ears release excess heat from the elephant’s bodies by means of a network of blood vessels called capillaries. The capillaries carry blood to the surface of the skin, allowing the blood to cool.

SkinThe elephant’s skin is typically grey and can be quite thick, around 2 to 3 cm in places. The skin provides protection against bites and bumps and varying weather conditions. For added protection, elephants will frequently cover parts of their skin with mud or other matter, in the same way that humans apply sun cream or insect repellent.

FeetThe bones of an elephant’s foot are angled upwards, so that when elephants walk they are effectively walking on tiptoes. Elephants’ feet are circular and have a strong fatty pad underneath which acts as a shock absorber.

What does an elephant eat?

Elephants are known as ‘megaherbivores’. They eat all kinds of plant material, such as grasses, branches, leaves and, sometimes, wild fruit. More than two-thirds of the day may be spent feeding on grasses, but large amounts of tree bark, roots, leaves and small stems are also eaten. Cultivated crops, such as bananas, rice and sugarcane, are favoured foods. Because they need to drink frequently, elephants are always close to a source of fresh water. As they require such large quantities of food to sustain their massive bodies, they can deplete food sources very quickly and must roam over great distances while foraging.

Elephant development: timelineFIRST STEPSAfter 20 to 30 minutes, the calf’s legs straighten out from being curled up in the womb and the calves quickly take their first steps.

SUCKLINGFrom 0-3 years, male calves grow faster and the size difference between the two sexes is evident in the first two years.

MASTERING THE TRUNKFrom 1-5 years, the calves master the use of their trunk, which is made up of thousands of muscles but no bones.

WEANINGFrom 3-5 years, the calves continue to suckle until a sibling is born.

BIRTH Weighing around 80kg, newborn elephants are similar in weight to an adult human.

0-3 years 0-5 years

SEXUAL MATURITYFrom 10-14 years, the male and female elephants reach sexual maturity.

AGEINGElephants can reach an age of 50 - 70 years.

REPRODUCTIONA female elephant produces a calf every five to six years between the age of 10 - 50 years old.

LEAVE THE HERDThe male elephants leave the herd at 12-14 years.

10-14 years 20-50 years 60+ years

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Elephant_8-pager.indd 8 29/07/2014 14:33

In the past, elephants were common throughout the continents of Asia and Africa, but their numbers fell drastically during the 19th century, mainly due to the ivory trade. Poaching for ivory continues to threaten the species, while another threat to elephants’ survival is habitat loss.

The Asian elephant is now listed as an endangered species, placing it at higher risk of extinction than the African elephant. The World Wildlife Fund for Nature estimates the Asian elephant population at between just 25,000 and 33,000.

As the world’s human population has increased, there have been many encroachments on elephant habitats. Elephant herds follow ancient seasonal migration routes. However, infrastructural developments such as roads and railways have fragmented elephants’ traditional territories, confining elephants to ‘islands’ of land as these ancient migratory routes are cut off. This makes it difficult, or impossible, for elephants to mix with other herds to breed.

As elephants’ habitat size is reduced, it also brings elephants and humans into closer contact. This can often lead to conflict between elephants and humans. A hungry elephant can

eat a small farmer’s entire crops in a single feeding session. Retaliation by people, who may see the elephants as pests, can result in elephant deaths.

Elephant keeper at Dublin Zoo Brendan Walsh says that the dangers facing wild elephants are very clear.

“There are two main challenges really. We’re all aware of the threat caused by poaching. But what’s as big a problem, if not a bigger problem, is habitat destruction. Humans are chopping down the forests of Asia for timber markets in Australia, Europe and North America and this is causing great problems. If people in this part of the world want to help wild animals, we should avoid buying unsustainable hard woods. There are plenty of European hard woods we can use instead.”

International bodies like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) provide guidance and certification of woods from responsibly managed forests worldwide.

In some parts of Asia, the dense tropical forests that elephants live in are disappearing as land is converted for agricultural and industrial use. The scale of this transition is devastating for the elephants. The conversion of

forests to palm oil plantations is one example of habitat destruction.

Brendan saw the damage to elephant habitats in southeast Asia with his own eyes, and explained that the expansion of palm oil plantations is happening so quickly you can see the difference literally overnight.

“I was over there two years ago and I drove for seven hours constantly on a very good road past palm oil plantations that would have been thick rainforest in the past. I had been there as recent as 2006, and the last time I went back the difference was striking.”

Products that contain palm oil include certain types of shampoos, detergents, chocolate and many more other everyday products.

To help elephants, the WWF recommends that people not buy any ivory products. Another way that people can contribute to elephant conservation is to support sustainable palm oil by purchasing products with certified sustainable palm oil, and demanding that products contain only sustainable palm oil.

Find Dublin Zoo on Facebook and Twitter.

Conservation: how we can help the Asian elephantThe Asian elephant is an endangered species facing major threats to its survival in the wild

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Elephant_8-pager.indd 8 29/07/2014 14:33

Interview with Lord Mayor Christy Burke

Where were you born?

I was born in Lurgan Street in Dublin 7.

How many brothers and sisters do you have?

I have two brothers and two sisters.

Where did you go to school?

I went to St Joseph’s School, Dorset Street, Dublin 1.

What did you do in College?

I studied community and social issues, housing and politics.

When did you become a Councillor?

I became a councillor in 1985. I am one of the longest serving councillors in Dublin City Council, having just started my 30th year in the Council Chamber.

What does a Councillor do?

A councillor tries to improve the quality of life of the people of Dublin. They also make representation on behalf of the people. For example I was on the phone to a school, the Housing Department in Dublin City Council and the Medical Council of Ireland in one morning. Councillors are Jacks of all trades.

How did you get the job of Lord Mayor?

The Lord Mayor is elected by the other 62 councillors in the Council Chamber. The political parties come together to make an agreement to select and elect a Lord Mayor each year over the five years of the term of office.

What does a Lord Mayor do?

The Lord Mayor represents the city. The role of the Lord Mayor has two functions - a ceremonial function whereby he meets people, opens schools and starts races such as the Liffey Swim. A Lord Mayor also promotes the city for people to be able to live, work and to socialise in. He meets people from different countries at home and abroad.

Why do you wear a Gold Chain?

Dubliners love to see the Lord Mayor wear a chain. It dates from 1698.

What is your favourite place in Dublin/Ireland - Why?

I love Croke Park as I was born and reared close to Croke Park. I like to watch gaelic football and hurling. It also holds concerts such as Neil Diamond, U2 and One Direction. It is a great place.

What do you like to do to relax when you are not working?

I am a huge Dublin GAA fan – both football and hurling. I go to Croke Park to support the Dubs. I like gardening and walking, especially on Dollymount Strand. It helps to keep me calm and relaxed. I also enjoy reading, particularly books by Irish authors, Maeve Binchy and Noel Browne. I am also currently reading ‘The Sound of Things Falling’, by Juan Gabriel Vásquez which recently won the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. It is a great book and I am really enjoying it.

Daniel Sheedy, age 8, from St Joseph’s BNS, Terenure, Dublin 6W interviewed the 345th Lord Mayor of Dublin, Christy Burke.

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In the past, elephants were common throughout the continents of Asia and Africa, but their numbers fell drastically during the 19th century, mainly due to the ivory trade. Poaching for ivory continues to threaten the species, while another threat to elephants’ survival is habitat loss.

The Asian elephant is now listed as an endangered species, placing it at higher risk of extinction than the African elephant. The World Wildlife Fund for Nature estimates the Asian elephant population at between just 25,000 and 33,000.

As the world’s human population has increased, there have been many encroachments on elephant habitats. Elephant herds follow ancient seasonal migration routes. However, infrastructural developments such as roads and railways have fragmented elephants’ traditional territories, confining elephants to ‘islands’ of land as these ancient migratory routes are cut off. This makes it difficult, or impossible, for elephants to mix with other herds to breed.

As elephants’ habitat size is reduced, it also brings elephants and humans into closer contact. This can often lead to conflict between elephants and humans. A hungry elephant can

eat a small farmer’s entire crops in a single feeding session. Retaliation by people, who may see the elephants as pests, can result in elephant deaths.

Elephant keeper at Dublin Zoo Brendan Walsh says that the dangers facing wild elephants are very clear.

“There are two main challenges really. We’re all aware of the threat caused by poaching. But what’s as big a problem, if not a bigger problem, is habitat destruction. Humans are chopping down the forests of Asia for timber markets in Australia, Europe and North America and this is causing great problems. If people in this part of the world want to help wild animals, we should avoid buying unsustainable hard woods. There are plenty of European hard woods we can use instead.”

International bodies like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) provide guidance and certification of woods from responsibly managed forests worldwide.

In some parts of Asia, the dense tropical forests that elephants live in are disappearing as land is converted for agricultural and industrial use. The scale of this transition is devastating for the elephants. The conversion of

forests to palm oil plantations is one example of habitat destruction.

Brendan saw the damage to elephant habitats in southeast Asia with his own eyes, and explained that the expansion of palm oil plantations is happening so quickly you can see the difference literally overnight.

“I was over there two years ago and I drove for seven hours constantly on a very good road past palm oil plantations that would have been thick rainforest in the past. I had been there as recent as 2006, and the last time I went back the difference was striking.”

Products that contain palm oil include certain types of shampoos, detergents, chocolate and many more other everyday products.

To help elephants, the WWF recommends that people not buy any ivory products. Another way that people can contribute to elephant conservation is to support sustainable palm oil by purchasing products with certified sustainable palm oil, and demanding that products contain only sustainable palm oil.

Find Dublin Zoo on Facebook and Twitter.

Conservation: how we can help the Asian elephantThe Asian elephant is an endangered species facing major threats to its survival in the wild

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Across1. This intelligent elephant packed her

trunk and went on her travels (6)

9. A family of elephants with Mum, Dad, Lester, Laura and the baby (3,5,6)

10. This young elephant leaves the jungle to visit the big city and returns to become King of the elephant kingdom

12. He is laughed at because of his big ears, but this elephant has a special talent (5)

Down2. A very colourful patchwork elephant (5)

3. This elephant lives in Dublin Zoo and has a new baby (6)

4. A woolly mammoth who lived in the Ice Age (5)

5. An Indian God with the head of an elephant (7)

6. Head of the jungle elephant troop and friend of Mowgli (5)

7. Won as the prize in a radio contest, Homer tries to sell him but Bart wants to keep him as a pet (6)

8. In the hundred acre wood, these creatures appear in dreams (10)

11. A kind, sweet-natured elephant who protects the town of Whoville (6)

During the Children’s Book Festival in October look out for elephant book displays in your local library. Find out the facts about elephants or read elephant stories. We will be hosting visits from authors Judi Curtin, Erika McGann, Nicola Pierce, Alan Nolan, Debbie Thomas, David Donohue, Paul Tubb and Brian Gallagher. Storytelling sessions will include stories from India and we will have lots of book displays to celebrate Indian customs, literature, art and the festival of Diwali. The Children’s Art in Libraries programme will include performances of ‘The Mice and the Elephants’ by Puca Puppets.

Libraries will welcome Jim McMonagle from Dublin Zoo, who will tell us about the wonderful work of the Zoo and give us the latest news about the new elephant calves.

See www.dublincitypubliclibraries.ie to view the elephant reading list.

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Crossword Time

Solve the clues to name these famous elephants(If you need some help with the clues, check out the elephant booklist on www.dublincitypubliclibraries.ie)

To celebrate the birth of two new elephant calves and their family of Asian Elephants, Dublin City Libraries have created a special ‘Elephant themed’ reading list and crossword.

New City Library at Parnell SquareDublin City Public Libraries are planning a new City Library at Parnell Square, to open in 2018. This exciting project is being developed by Dublin City Council in association with an international company called Kennedy Wilson who buy and develop property in Dublin and around the world. They are supporting the project financially and are going to help raise the money required to build the library.

If you visit the north end of Parnell Square today you will see a row of six tall redbrick houses where the new Library will be, beside Dublin City Gallery the Hugh Lane. These houses were built in the 1750s and 1760s, and the north side of the square was first called Palace Row.

Palace Row was a very interesting part of Dublin to live in, and the houses looked out on to the new gardens of the Lying-In Hospital, which we now call the Rotunda Hospital. People could visit the gardens to see an orchestra or a fireworks display. In the late 1800s many people visited the gardens to see Hengler’s Circus performances with George Lockhart’s ‘Marvellous Trio of Elephants’ and the ‘Zalva Trio’ of Acrobatic Wire Walkers. It is rare to see elephants at Parnell Square nowadays, but you never know!

Dublin City Library – your space in a new place to learn, create and participate!

The City Library will be part of a new development called Parnell Square Cultural Quarter.

We are very excited about moving next door to Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane. We are looking forward to working together on fun new activities! As well as the City Library and the Gallery, there will be a Music Centre where you can rehearse and make your own music recordings, a Design Space where you can learn about the work that designers do and try your hand at creating something yourself. The Education Centre will be a place where you can do activities like drawing, clay modelling, painting or collage.

The City Library will have books for children of all ages. It will be a place for reading and relaxing, designing and making, talking and storytelling, drawing and drama. There will be space for technology too – for games and apps, coding and creating. It will be a space for you to explore and enjoy. You can find out more about Parnell Square Cultural Quarter and the new City Library at www.parnellsquare.ie

Competition Time

Can you imagine what you will do in the City Library in 2018?

Enter our competition by creating a picture of a library space you would like to be in. Send your entry by post to Clodagh Kingston, Dublin City Library and Archive, 138 – 144 Pearse Steet, Dublin 2 or email as an attachment to [email protected] .The closing date for entries is 31st October 2014. Book tokens worth €25 each will be awarded for the three best pictures!

Winners of ‘Brilliant’ book competition in the last edition of classmate

Emma Curran, Donnycarney, D9, Katie McCabe, Santry,D9.

Audrey Connolly, Artane, D5, Bree Shelley, Artane, D5.

Sharon Murphy, East Wall, D3, Eimear Murphy, Ringsend, D4.

Patrick Evoy, Terenure, D6W, Scott Doyle, Finglas, D11

Wiktoria Kubicka, Crumlin, D12, Katie Delaney, Cabra West, D7.

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Other exotic animals have inspired artists when visiting faraway places. Alice Hanratty, a Dublin artist loves to create prints and etchings. She studied printmaking in the National College of Art in Dublin, where she learned many painting and printing techniques. On a trip to Africa in the 1960’s Alice saw wood-carvings that had been made by tribal people. She travelled all over the world where she encountered lots of peculiar creatures and was inspired by all that she saw. Her print Flying Elephant shows us

just one of these. She uses four colours in this print, all of them bright and vibrant. Her fantastic elephant is flying through the air and he is so big that he is almost jumping off the page! Can you think why Alice chose such unusual colours for her elephant? The elephant seems to be in a hurry, his trunk in raised high over his head and his eyes are wide and alert. Where would such an enormous beast be rushing off to?

Be inspired by all the wonderful animals at Dublin Zoo

Be inspired by all the wonderful animals at the Gallery.

Friday 19th September 6.30 pm - 7.30 pm Free Culture Night Workshop for children of all ages. Create Contemporary Sculpture inspired by Eva Rothschild’s Exhibition!

Saturday 18th October 2 pm - 3 pm Free Open House Workshop for children of all ages. Create your own Paper Bag Village!

Tuesday 29th October 11 am - 12 pm Spooky Halloween Mask Making Workshop for children of all ages. Make your own scary Halloween animal mask; are you a cat, a spider or maybe a bat? €5

Thursday 31st October 11 am - 12 pm Create Scary Halloween Decorations! Join our workshop and make a spooky decoration to terrify your visitors this Halloween! €5

Saturday 22nd November 2 pm - 3 pm Celebrate Thanksgiving with a Harvest Themed Workshop for children of all ages. €5

Saturday 20th December 2 pm - 3 pm Children’s Festive Decoration Workshop. Make your own ornaments to brighten your home this Christmas. €5

Family Sunday Sketching Sunday sketching takes place every Sunday from 2 - 3pm.During these FREE workshops, we explore paintings, sculpture and some of the architectural features of Charlemont House through discussion and drawing. All materials are provided. No booking is required although numbers may be limited. For further information, please see www.hughlane.ie/childrensworkshop/forthcoming

Guided Tours with your class If you would like to visit the Hugh Lane with your class, you can arrange a guided tour. Tours cost €30 per group. There can be up to 30 people in a group and we need at least two weeks’ notice. It is also possible to book a tactile tour, sketching tour or a combined tour and workshop during your visit. To book a guided tour please contact Síle McNulty-Goodwin, Curator of Education and Research on T. 222 5558/3 or email [email protected]

Have you ever visited the zoo? There are so many different shapes and colours in the animal kingdom, and many artists love to paint and sculpt their favourite animals. There are many paintings and sculptures inspired by the animals on display at the Hugh Lane Gallery, from a noble sculpture Thoroughbred Horse Walking by Edgar Degas to a the vibrant Big Bird by Niki de Saint Phalle. The Irish artist Jack B. Yeats was fascinated with horses and donkeys, they can be found racing through lots of his drawings and paintings. When you visit them at the Gallery you can spot them nestled amongst other works of art.

Art Workshops for autumn

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You Will Need: • Large pieces of white card • Poster paint in many colours • Pencil or marker • PVA glue

• Sticky tape • String or elastic • Safety scissors • Sequins, gems, glitter

On one sheet of card, draw the shape of your elephant’s head. Draw tusks, ears, eyes and a long trunk. On the other sheet, draw a headdress for your elephant!

Carefully cut out the headdress and the elephant’s head, including holes for your eyes. Ask an adult to help you with this step.

Now it’s time to paint your mask. Use bright poster paint and lots of colours. Set aside the pieces until the paint is dry.. Set it aside for later.

Using PVA glue, carefully stick the headdress piece to the back of the elephant’s head.

Attach a long piece of string or elastic to the back of the mask with sticky tape, just below the elephant’s eyes.

Decorate your elephant with sequins, gems, glitter or pieces of coloured paper.

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Maps are a way of representing a place and can take different forms – from road and bus maps to help us get around to climate maps and historical maps that provide useful or interesting information. They can also be personal, playful and imaginative.

What would you include on a map of Dublin? What special places or journeys would you show? How would you connect the places you choose? Would you just include Dublin today or would you include places no longer here or things yet to be built or imagined?

Create your map of Dublin to be in with a chance to win a tour of the gallery and an art workshop for your class. In the workshop, the winning drawing will be enlarged into a mural and painted onto the gallery wall by you and your class!

The winner will also get an art goodie pack to keep. A selection of other entries will be on display in the gallery.

The competition and mural will be part of an exhibition called Phoenix Rising that looks at the city through contemporary art. Artists have often shaped how we see and experience the place we live. You can be a part of this by sharing your personal map of Dublin! The Phoenix Rising exhibition opens on 6th November.

Send your drawing or painting on A4 paper to:

Children’s Art Competition, Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, Parnell Square North, Dublin 1

Closing date for entries: Friday 3rd October 2014

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Map your City Art Competition

How to Make an Indian Elephant Mask

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Aimsigh an difríocht:Eilifint na hÁise agus Eilifint na hAfraice

Meáchan

Airde

Cluasa

Starrfhiacla

Ceann

Craiceann

Cá háit?

Tréimhse Saoil

Ainm eolaíochta

2,000 to 5,000kg

2 to 3m ag an ghualainn

Níos lú

De ghnáth níl starrfhiacla ag eilifintí baineann

Ceann rianach

Craiceann níos míne

Oirdheisceart na hÁise, an India, Srí Lanca

Suas le 60 bliain

Elephas maximus

Ainmhithe éagsúla iad eilifint a chasfaí ort i bhforaois san Áis nó ag fánaíocht ar thailte féir Serengeti na hAfraice. Féach go cúramach agus feicfidh tú difríochtaí suimiúla eatarthu.

2,250 to 6,350kg

2.5 to 4m ag an ghualainn

Níos mó

Tá starrfhiacla ag eilifintí fireann agus baineann

Ceann cruinneach

Craiceann níos roctha

An Afraic

Suas le 70 bliain

Loxodonta africana

EILIFINT na hÁISE

Eilifint ha hÁise Eilifint na hAfraice

EILIFINT na hAFRAICE

Cluasa Ar na difríochtaí is túisce a fheicfeá tá cruth agus méid cluasa na heilifinte. Tá cluasa móra sainiúla ag gach eilifint agus feidhm an-tábhachtach acu. Scaoileann an chluas iomarca teasa ó chorp eilifinte chun iad a choimeád fionnuar. Tá sé seo an-úsáideach, mar cónaíonn eilfintí i gcuid de na háiteanna is teo ar domhan. Ach tá cluasa níos mó ar eilifint na hAfraice ná mar atá ar eilifint na hÁise Tá cluasa níos lú agus níos cruinne ar eilifint na hÁise.

Méid Difríocht mhór eile is ea an méid. Tá eilifint na hAfraice níos mó ná eilifint na hÁise, agus níos troime chomh maith. Mar gheall air sin, sé eilifint na hAfraice an t-ainmhí is mó atá ag siúl ar domhan faoi láthair. Tá eilifint lánfhásta na hAfraice suas le ceithre mhéadar ar airde agus ar bhreis agus 6000kg meáchain.

Starrfhiacla Seo rud eile le tabhairt faoi deara, nó b’fhéidir ná feicfeá: ní fheicfidh tú starrfhiacla de ghnáth ar eilifintí na hÁise. Má tá starrfhiacla ar eilifintí Áiseacha, seans go bhfuil said an-bheag. Tá starrfhiacla ar eilifintí na hAfraice, fireann agus baineann.

Cinn Má fheáchann tú ar eilifint Áiseach agus eilifint Afracach “ceann le ceann” tabharfaidh tú faoi deara cruthanna éagsúla ar na cinn orthu. Tá ceann níos cruinne ar eilifint na hAfraice. Cruinneachán amháin is ea barr an chinn; ar eilifint na hÁise tá ceann dé-chruinneachánach le rian nó bearna ina lár.

Tiúchosaigh Úsaideann eilifint an tiúchosach chun bia agus rudaí eile a ghreamú agus a oibriú. Tá ”méar” amháin ar an tiúchosach ag eilifint na hÁise, ach tá dhá “mhéar” ar an tiúchosach ag eilifint na hAfraice. Is eilifintí Áiseacha iad na heilifintí ar fad ag Zú Bhaile Átha Cliath.

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Seol do fhreagra go dtí:

An tAonad Forbartha Gaeilge Seirbhísí Corparáideacha Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath, Bloc 3, Urlár 3, Oifigí na Cathrach, Baile Átha Cliath 8

Dáta Deiridh Iontrála 1 Deireadh Fómhair 2014

Ainm:

Aois:

Rang:

Ainm Agus Seoladh Scoile:

A. An sciathán leathair

B. An madra uisce

C. An t-iora* talún

D. An béar bán

(Nod: *Iora = Squirrel)

Buaiteoirí:Eagrán an tSamhraidhSeo a leanas liosta na mbuaiteoirí ón eagrán deireanach.Seolfar duaiseanna amach chugaibh sa phost. Maith sibh! Abigail TeckieSt. Louis SPS, Ráthmaonais BÁC 6

Daniel BradleySt. Louis SPS, Ráthmaonais BÁC 6

Teegan LynchSt. Peter’s N.S., Phibsboro BÁC 7

Noel NejuSt. Peter’s N.S., Phibsboro BÁC 7

Ben PetherbridgeScoil Mhuire, Ascail Uí Ghríofa, BÁC 9.

Fánaíocht Roaming

Cruthanna éagsúla Different shapes

Starrfhiacla Tusks

Meáchan Weight

Tailte féir Grassland plains

Tiúchosaigh Trunks

Lánfhásta Fully grown

Cruinneachán Dome

Gluais /

Glossary

ComórtasSmaoinigh ar na focail agus ainmnigh an t-ainmhí i mBéarla. Cuirfear duaiseanna ar fáil do na buaiteoirí.

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Bram Stoker Festival 2014 24th - 27th OctoberA festival to sink your teeth into

This October Bank Holiday weekend Dublin city will celebrate all things spooky and gothic for the third annual Bram Stoker Festival, running from Friday 24th October to Monday 27th October 2014. The Festival is an initiative of Dublin City Council and is part of the City Council’s year-round calendar of family-friendly events.

The Festival is inspired by the work of Dublin author Bram Stoker and his famous book, ‘Dracula’, which was written in 1897. The book tells the story of a vampire called Count Dracula, one of the most legendary characters ever created. The book has been translated into more than fifty languages and the character Count Dracula has appeared in over 200 films.

The four day festival has loads of spooky and fun events inspired by Dracula including; art competitions, film screenings, book readings, plays, music concerts, interactive workshops and lots of surprises all around Dublin city. Last year more than 20,000 people came to the festival from home and abroad and a lot of them wore fancy dress!

One of this year’s festival partners, The Ark in Temple Bar, will be holding an event called ‘Dracula’s Basement Spooky Sounds Laboratory’ where Dracula will raid The Ark’s music cupboard for all their weirdest instruments and put them in his sound lab in the basement. The Ark will also present ‘Minnie & the Illywackers’ Family Halloween Concert, a warm and friendly musical event for families from this delightful jazz, blues and country band featuring Dracula inspired songs, sounds and gothic pumpkins.To find out more about all of the spooktacular events taking place at this year’s festival, check out the website www.bramstokerfestival.com.

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Abbie Flannery, (11), Scoil Mhuire Mount Sackville, Chapelizod, D20

*The family passes for Dublin Zoo will be sent to your school.

Front Cover Competition WinnersCongratulations you have each won a one-day pass for Dublin Zoo*.

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Riccardo Riggi, (9), St Killian’s German School, Clonskeagh, D14

Hazel Nic an Phríora (10) Gaelscoil Míde Cill Bharróg, BÁC 5

Abbie Flannery, (11), Scoil Mhuire Mount Sackville, Chapelizod, D20

John Scully, (9), Drimnagh Castle, Primary School, Drimnagh, D12

Maeve Collins, (12), St Columba’s NS, Glasnevin, D9

Name/Ainm:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

School Address/Seoladh Scoile:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Age/Aois: _______________ School/Scoil:______________________________________________________________________________

Would you like your drawing to be on the front cover of the next edition of Classmate?Please colour in the above picture and send your entry to the address below. The winning picture will be on the front cover of the winter edition of Classmate and you could also win a prize! The closing date is the 1st October 2014.

Corporate Services Department, Corporate Communications, ‘Colour in a Front Cover Competition’ Block 3, Floor 3, Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8.

T: 222 2266W: www.dublincity.ieE: [email protected]

A Dublin City Council PublicationFoilseachán de chuid Chomhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath

Competition Time

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