Bet you didn't know that chimpanzees can't swim.

Or that there are only about 200 known wild yaks left in existence. Or that just six years ago the northern bald ibis, a bird once native to parts of Europe, Asia and Africa, was thought to be extinct.

Those peculiar details, as well as hundreds of other facts, were presented at the Endangered Species Zoo -- the work of seventh-graders in Helena Middle School's Lucky Sevens team.

"The baby, when it's born, crawls into the mother's mouth until it is strong enough to hang on to its mother's fur," said seventh-grader Aaron Conn, describing the unusual parenting habits of the ruffed lemur.

Altogether, some 100 students participated in the project, which crosses five curriculum areas. For science, each student researched the life cycle, genus and species of various endangered animals. Students estimated their numbers and analyzed the loss of habitat for math, and in social studies they examined the country where the endangered species is found. In their communication arts class, students created folk tales about their animals. And in art, they crafted 3-D models of their endangered species.

By the last day of school before the holiday break, they were experts on endangered species that ranged from the cheetah to the leatherback turtle and from the blue whale to the Philippine eagle.

"The most interesting thing about the Sumatran rhino is that they carry their young for between 15 and 16 months n that and there's only about 300 of them left," said student Triston Lytle, an expert on that species.

But facts and figures were only one part of the assignment. Students stretched their creative writing skills by penning myths that explain each animal's most identifiable characteristics.

Ashley Moon's story titled, The Beauty Beneath it All, describes how the Indian rhino came to have its rough exterior. Once upon a time, Moon said, the rhino was a beautiful unicorn with a magical horn. In an attempt to sap the unicorn's strength a huge storm raged, but the crafty creature rolled in the mud to hide from the storm and keep its magical strength, sacrificing its beautiful exterior for the tough hide of the rhinoceros.

Students were required to find out why the endangered animal faces extinction and what is being done to stop their decline. Their displays include photos, maps, charts, graphs and models of the animals.

Science teacher Dave Stergar said every year around Thanksgiving he lays out the minimum requirements for the project, and every year, his students' displays get more and more elaborate.

"They just go all-out," he added.

That shows in their art projects as well. Teacher Mary Ann Barbie-Rice said that she introduced the youngsters to a variety of medium and let them choose what they wanted to construct their animals out of. The results ranged from paper mache to clay and even wire armatures.

Student JR Solee constructed a male proboscis monkey out of clay.

"The only difference between the males and the females is the nose," he said pointing to his model. "The female has a pointed nose and the male has a big nose like this."

Throughout the day the seventh-graders hosted sixth-grade students from other teams in the building. As the younger students toured, the endangered species experts filled them with details.

"That way they get excited -- this is what they're going to do next year," Sergar added.

One more factoid. Believe it or not, but seventh-grader Sydney Duke said the Komodo dragon can smell decaying remains from up to three miles away.

Reporter Laura Tode can be reached at 447-4081 or laura.tode@helenair.com.