Zoo education is an important part of the whole zoological park experience. Naturally, everyone’s #1 focus is seeing rare animals and endangered species, appreciating their beauty, their quirks and their antics. Parents can read the signs and relay facts to their children about various creatures. However, zoo directors say that their facilities are meant to educate visitors about habitat destruction, how personal choices affect animal populations and about conservation efforts. With donations, activism and active participation, countless species can be rescued from the brink of extinction.

A London Zoo has recently received two awards for its zoo education programs. In 2004, the United Kingdom’s Chester Zoo won the Sandford Award (run by The Council for Environmental Education). Judges called the Chester zoological park “an excellent resource” and said that “nothing could compare to seeing live, wild animals at close quarters.” In 2009, the zoo won this same award again. Zoo head of Discovery and Learning, Stephen McKeown, explained: “The awards take into account our whole approach to conservation education, including taught educational discovery programs for schools, interactive materials, award-winning signage at animal enclosures around the zoo and extensive library facilities. What makes us different from a normal classroom is the environment we occupy and the 7,000 animals within it. Seeing and handling things from live snakes to snake skins and exploring the x-rays of animals opens up a whole new world that more and more students are now taking advantage of.” The Chester Zoo is just one of many parks offering unprecedented access to exotic animals.

The Oregon Zoo hosts a number of special zoo education programs for children and families. For instance, “Messy Animal Art” is a $22 two-hour program for pre-school kids (ages 3-5), which gives them a tour of the animal exhibits, sing songs, participation in art activities and eating snacks. Similarly, the $22 “Zoo Experiences” program involves a zoo tour, reading a story, having a snack and taking home a special memento. The “Family Camperoo” is a popular program ($45 adults, $30 kids) that lasts from 4pm until 9am and lets families see what the animals are up to at night; breakfast, dinner and campfire stories are also included. Day Camp experiences involve petting zoos, crafts, snacks and special tours. Special zoo events revolving around endangered species conservation are also available each month. To register for some of Oregon’s programs, visit www.oregonzoo.org.

The Melbourne Zoo offers overnight camp activities, conservation classes, teaching opportunities and school programs in their zoo education division. Younger kids will learn about animal habitats, cycles of life and animal similarities/differences, while other kids learn about carnivore evolution, animal exhibit design, meerkat psychology and survival behavior. Sleepovers and full day programs at the zoo allow students an immersive study of biological topics. Conservation study topics include Investing in Nesting, the Orangutan Browse Plantation Project, Conservation Connection, Trees/Paws/Claws, Web Spinners, Planning for Parrots, Bags for Burramys and Biodiversity in Your School. There’s no limit to what you can learn during a full day at an Australian zoo!

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