Zoo Signage — PawSteps

What the sign is for

Signs on the unit do real work. They tell students how to feed, clean and health check an animal. They carry warnings and health and safety information. And they tell the public where the animal came from, how it behaves and what its temperament is like.

The brief: a two-week project. Choose any exotic species and make zoo-level signage about it. Make it eye-catching.

Species you can choose from

Western hognose · leopard gecko · crested gecko · degu · fancy mice · Mexican red knee tarantula · long eared owl · California king snake · blue tongue skink · jird · sand skink · white lipped tree frog · silkie, warren or brahma chicken · ferrets · diamond dove · chinchilla · royal python · bearded dragon · boa constrictor · rabbit · guinea pig · donkey · Syrian hamster · White's tree frog · green iguana · coati · pot bellied pig · corn snake · fancy rats · dumbo rats · Madagascar hissing cockroach · dart frogs · African land snails · golden guernsey, pygmy or saanen goats · Shetland, Kerryhill, Ryeland or North England Mule sheep

Who is this sign for?

StudentsFeeding, cleaning, health checks The publicInterest, conservation, facts BothMost real zoo signs

Fill in the sign

Worked examples in the original were the Ring-tailed Lemur (Lemur catta) and Asian Water Monitor (Varanus salvator).

Species name

Latin name

This individual's name

Country of origin

Size of the species

Lifespan

Exact habitat

Diet in the wild

Enrichment

Conservation efforts

Fun fact

If you have room

Recommended enclosure size

Gestation period

Abnormal behaviours to watch for

Temperament and handling

Set the conservation status

IUCN Red List. Check the real status for your species rather than guessing.

Your sign

This updates as you type. Print it, or copy the layout onto card.

Before you print: read it out loud. If a member of the public would stop walking to finish reading it, it works. If it reads like a list of fields, rewrite the fun fact and the habitat line.