Topic

Topic1 Take action for water This term we are learning about water ways, aquatic animals and how to protect them.We are also learning names of aquatic animals, and plants, how things like algae form and about the food web. The banded kokopu,

The banded kokopu is fish that is native to New Zealand. Did you know that the banded kokopu is easily identified. It lives in rivers through out New Zealand, feeding on beetles. The banded kokopu has a very simple life cycle. Humans kill these animal and others with out realizing.

Banded kokopu is easily identified by the thin,pale vertical bands across it’s side and over it’s back. They can grow up to 26 cm long,and are described as a small fish. They special senses on the side of it’s body so they can sense when their dinner falls into the river/stream. They have very long mouths that reach up to their eyes.

Through out New Zealand banded kokopu live in the rivers and streams. They prefer to live under trees and in shade,so they don’t get to hot. Larvae banded kokopu live around they coast of New Zealand for a couple of mouths.

They life cycle of the banded kokopu is that they mate and lay their eggs on the bed of their home stream/river,then the eggs float out to sea,and float around the coast for a few months where they hatch and then return back to fresh water to live their adult live.

The banded kokopu migrate up stream in their adult life,because of this their very good climbers. Some reasons they why migrate is so they can find food and shade.

Most fish breathe through their gills. This is exactly what banded kokopu do,they breathe through the gills that are on each side of it’s body. Banded kokopu eat beetles and spiders that fall into the river/stream. Their big mouth helps them eat.

Humans kill these fish and others by doing every day things. Like cleaning the car and washing your paint brush,the toxics from the paint and soap suds kill sea life,when it goes down the drain. Another thing is on farms if there is a stream or river cows and other farm animals go toilet in there.

We can do things like fence off stream and rivers on farm land,wash your car on the lawn so soap suds don’t go down the drain and most of all DON’T LITTER.

So next time you go to wash the car do it on the lawn, so you can safe our banded kokopu. The banded kokopu with it’s thin,pale vertical bands and a love for beetles is a very interesting fish indeed.

By Kimberly

My Poem

River flows.

As I watch, Observably, What I see before my eyes, Is the water trickling over the stones As it gently breaks the surface, I can sense the joy in the water, As it jumps over the rocks.