I love this video of Flamingos for Planet Earth! The Flamingos dancing from side to side as a group is priceless. I truly love watching shows like Planet Earth because I enjoy learning about animals and facts about them. These Flamingos are Andean Flamingos and are found high in the Andes Mountains of South America. Yet, Flamingos live all around the world from South America to Africa and small parts of Asia and Europe. Flamingos live in and around salt or alkaline bodies of water, thus their habitat is characterized by “lack of vegetation”. Since Flamingos live around extreme environments like salt or alkaline lakes the algae and shrimp brine is what they are left to eat in the area. Algae and shrimp brine have an abundant of carotenoids. Carotenoids builds up in the Flamingos body and gives their feathers the pink hue.

Flamingo Lake of Bolivia

I found out all of this information after watching this clip from Planet Earth and being interested about Flamingos! Thus this could turn into a fun activity for students.

Students would find a fun video of an animal, not a pet that lives in a house but a animal that lives in nature or the ocean. The student would take that video and find out fun facts about the animal and where the animal lives. With the help of Google Earth they can locate the area of where the animal lives and explore that area. Students can take a screenshot of the area they are exploring and where the animal lives.

For example I chose the Andean Flamingo lives in the Andes mountains therefore students could locate where the Andes are see what the geographical space looks like.

What does the Andes look like?

https://www.google.com/search?q=the+andes&rlz=1C1CHZN_enCA961CA961&sxsrf=APq-WBu5vE5X12P4xULP90H1d7PjoOYF8g:1648153920288&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjlv9Dny9_2AhW8KDQIHawxCh8Q_AUoAXoECAIQAw&biw=1368&bih=704&dpr=2#imgrc=dSadTTpiH_jM8M
https://www.google.com/search?q=the+andes&rlz=1C1CHZN_enCA961CA961&sxsrf=APq-WBu5vE5X12P4xULP90H1d7PjoOYF8g:1648153920288&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjlv9Dny9_2AhW8KDQIHawxCh8Q_AUoAXoECAIQAw&biw=1368&bih=704&dpr=2#imgrc=T0-E-8XxsbK-9M

Here is a Photo of a Andean Flamingo in its habitat!

Flamingo in the Atacama Salt Flats west of the Andes from Unsplash

Where are the Atacama Salt Salts?

This allows students to make connections and understand the habitats of various animals by using Google Earth to go directly to those locations around the world.

Resources:

https://seaworld.org/animals/all-about/flamingos/habitat/

https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/news/why-are-flamingos-pink-and-other-flamingo-facts#:~:text=Flamingos%20get%20their%20pink%20color%20from%20their%20food.&text=Carotenoids%20give%20carrots%20their%20orange,pigments%20%E2%80%94%20turning%20its%20feathers%20pink.

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/facts/flamingo