The stages of life from an organism’s creation to how it changes and develops until its inevitable death is varied and diverse. While the end may seem bleak, it’s all part of the natural cycle and the path an animal can take through its life is nothing short of magical. Nature’s ability to find a way to survive, flourish and reproduce is forever evolving.

The students will be introduced to a number of different classes of animals and discuss their reproductive strategies, how they have adapted to suit particular environments and conditions allowing them to survive.

Topics discussed:

• Invertebrate life cycles & metamorphoses
• marsupials & placental mammals
• Why some animals lay eggs and others are live bearing (viviparous, oviparous and ovoviviparous)
• Vulnerability in certain stages of their life cycles and how they overcome them
• Long and short life spans
• Energy flows
• DNA and the importance of genetic diversity