Nutrition Fun Facts for Animal Movements at the Zoo
Date: July 15, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Location: Kansas City Zoo, 6800 Zoo Dr, Kansas City, MO
In partnership with: TempleMade Fitness
Check out a clip from the event!
🎯 Welcome, Zoo Explorers!
Get ready to MOVE like the animals and LEARN what fuels their wild energy! As you explore the zoo, you'll go on a Scavenger Hunt to find out what these amazing animals eat. At each stop, read the signs or talk to zoo staff to uncover the animals’ favorite snacks. Then compare them to what you need to grow strong and stay healthy!
🌿 Types of Eaters in the Animal Kingdom!
Did you know animals eat different kinds of food just like people do? Let’s learn about the different types of eaters:
Carnivores – Meat Eaters
Carnivores eat meat. They hunt or scavenge other animals for food.
Herbivores – Plant Eaters
Herbivores eat only plants. They munch on leaves, grass, fruits, and vegetables.
Omnivores – Meat AND Plant Eaters
Omnivores eat both plants and animals. Just like many people do!
Insectivores – Bug Eaters
Some animals eat mostly insects. These are called insectivores.
🧠 Remember:
- Carnivores = Meat
- Herbivores = Plants
- Omnivores = Both!
- Insectivores = Bugs
Every animal eats what helps it grow strong and stay healthy!
Printables and Answers
Print additional worksheets and view the answer sheet here.
Find more detailed answers below the worksheet image.
🔍 Scavenger Hunt Animal Diets - Answers for after you're done!🐾
🐆 Cheetahs
Cheetahs are super-fast hunters!
What they eat: Mostly small antelope like gazelles, and sometimes birds and rabbits. (Carnivore)
Fun Fact: They eat fast too—often in 15 minutes before another animal tries to steal their food!
🦁 Lions
The kings and queens of the savanna!
What they eat: Large prey like zebras, wildebeests, and buffalo. (Carnivore)
Fun Fact: Female lions do most of the hunting—go, girls!
🐗 Warthogs
Warthogs are clever grazers and diggers!
What they eat: Grasses, roots, fruit, and bugs. (Omnivore)
Fun Fact: They kneel on their front legs to dig with their snouts and tusks!
🐒 Lemurs
These jumpy, big-eyed cuties live in Madagascar.
What they eat: Fruits, leaves, flowers, and sometimes insects. (Omnivore)
Fun Fact: Their favorite fruit? Tamarind!
🐼 Red Pandas
Cuteness overload!
What they eat: Bamboo, berries, apples, and sometimes small eggs or insects. (Omnivore)
Fun Fact: Despite their name, they’re not closely related to giant pandas.
🦧 Orangutans
Super-smart tree swingers!
What they eat: Mostly fruit, plus leaves, bark, honey, and insects. (Omnivore)
Fun Fact: They can use sticks to get honey or scoop bugs!
🐅 Tigers
Strong and stealthy hunters.
What they eat: Deer, wild boar, and other large animals. (Carnivore)
Fun Fact: They are great swimmers and sometimes hunt in water!
🐵 Lion-Tailed Macaques
These rainforest monkeys have cool manes!
What they eat: Fruits, seeds, insects, and small animals. (Omnivore)
Fun Fact: They store food in their cheek pouches like chipmunks!
🐦 Emus
Giant flightless birds from Australia!
What they eat: Seeds, fruit, insects, and small animals. (Omnivore)
Fun Fact: Emus can run up to 30 miles per hour!
🐶 Dingoes
Australia’s wild dogs.
What they eat: Rabbits, kangaroos, lizards, and even fruits. (Omnivore)
Fun Fact: They live in packs and howl like wolves!
🧑🏽🦱🧒 What Should YOU Eat?
Just like animals need the right fuel, so do you! Humans are omnivores - we need a variety of types of foods.
Here’s how to power up your day:
🍎 Fruits & Veggies – Help your brain and body grow strong. Try to eat a rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables.
🍞 Whole Grains – Give you long-lasting energy.
🥛 Dairy or Fortified Alternatives – Build strong bones and teeth.
🍗 Protein (Meat, Beans, Eggs, Nuts) – Helps build muscles.
💧 Water – Keeps your body cool and ready to move!
Learn more from MyPlate. There are plenty of games, apps, and tip sheets to make learning fun.
💪 Move Your Body every day – run, jump, dance, stretch – just like the animals!
📸 Don't Forget!
ake pictures as you go, show off your animal movements, and tag us on your socials!
Facebook: @PediatricPartnersOPKS
Instagram: @pediatric_partners_kc
