Zoo Snooze

Reprinted from The Wild Times Teacher Connection v2n3, Spring 1997.

by Barbara Booth

The Winter 1996 issue of the Teacher Connection gave several good tips for preparing a zoo visit. We decided to try out some of those tips, and got involved in an overnight zoo experience called a "Zoo Snooze" with our troop of thirty Junior Girl Scouts. We contacted the zoo in Gulf Breeze, Florida, and arranged for our group to meet at the zoo just prior to closing time. Two full-time Zoo Educators and a volunteer met us for a short tour of the zoo grounds where we were introduced to all the animals as any zoo visitor might see them. The girls were allowed to pet the farm animals, and take photographs of their favorite zoo animals. The zoo had a train ride through simulated wild lands, but we decided to hike through the area instead. We were rewarded by getting face to face with deer, large birds, and other herd animals. They were more afraid of us than we were of them so there was never really any danger, but it was quite exciting to feel as if you were another wild animal who could roam beside them as they grazed.

As it became darker, we all set up our sleeping bags on the floor of a meeting room, and took our sack lunches out to the picnic area where the girls could watch the monkeys eat while the monkeys watched the girls eat. After dinner, we were taken on a tour of the zoo in the dark. We were introduced to the types of food given to the animals, and offered the opportunity to eat some delicious monkey biscuits. Though the biscuits weren't a popular treat among the girls, the monkeys loved them. The girls learned about the types of food that are donated by grocery stores, and what it takes to keep an animal fed for a week. They were amazed at the quantities of meat that a lion and tiger can eat.

The animals were in their night-time bedrooms as we quietly snuck in to see what the living quarters were like. One had to walk very carefully by the bars of the big cats' cages because a paw often slipped under the bars and came too near for comfort. The gorillas were made quite angry by our intrusion, and the male proceeded to throw things at the bars of his cage making quite a fuss all the while. The girls thoroughly enjoyed the commotion they were causing.

After a lengthy tour, we all went to an education building to get a hands-on introduction to reptiles. A zoo educator shared a boa constrictor, several types of lizards, and an alligator with us. Some of the girls said they were surprised by the softness of the snake's skin.

By ten o'clock, everyone was ready to settle down for the night. The meeting room where we slept was on the second floor of a building and at eye level with the sleeping monkeys on their island. We were awakened by the swinging and screeching of the monkeys (a real treat), and were allowed free run of the zoo to see the animals being fed before the public arrived.

The Zoo Snooze was a wonderful educational experience. You can contact your local zoo to see if they offer the same experience for you and your students or scouts. The cost per person for us was only a few dollars more than the general admission (total cost was $11.50 each) and included many benefits one might never get to see during a day-time visit.

Barb is the leader of Girl Scout Troop 30 at Elgin AFB, FL USA.

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