Archive for June 2011

Jun
30

Houston Zoo Crew Spotlight

Posted by in Volunteer Programs,Zoo Crew

1. What is your name?

Viviel hosting a Bio-fact cart

Viviel B.

2. What is your position and how many years have you been in Zoo Crew?

Senior Theatrical and 2 years

3. What do you do in your section?

Rehearse skits that we perform for the public and Camp Zoofari, and guest service,
stuff like that.

4. Why did you choose to apply for Zoo Crew?

My sister did it and would come home with all these compliments and how fun it
was. Plus I am giving back to my community and getting “fun-cation.”

5. What has been the greatest benefit from being in the program?

Building friendships and I get to do what I love!

6. What do you think the Zoo Crew program will give you in the future?

It prepares me for real life, like work and the “real world.”

7. What advice would you give interested teens who want to be in the program?

Do it! Apply! Get in anywhere because it’s really fun and you won’t regret it!

8. Where do you see yourself in the future?

Majoring in Musical Theatre

9. Has the experience here changed your future?

I think so. It has given me experience being onstage.

10. What is the one thing you would like people to know about you, outside of Zoo Crew?

That I am open to meeting lots of people and new things.

11. What’s your favorite food to get from the Zoo’s concession stands?

The pretzels are REALLY good. And the fries too!

Stay tuned for more Zoo Crew Spotlights!

Jun
23

Houston Zoo Crew Spotlight

Posted by in Volunteer Programs,Zoo Crew

Ryan in one of our camp classrooms

Zoo Crew Spotlight

1. What is your name?

Ryan L.

2. What is your position and how many years have you been in Zoo Crew?

Senior Camp Counselor and for 2 years

3. What do you do in your section?

Help teachers in camp & make sure kids are safe and having fun but also learning.

4. Why did you choose to apply for Zoo Crew?

I know it helps the children and the Zoo in general.

It also helps the environment as a whole.

5. What has been the greatest benefit from being in the program?

Being able to get along with younger children and learning how to teach them.

6. What do you think the Zoo Crew program will give you in the future?

To be more approachable because here at the Zoo, guests approach you a lot, which then gets you to be more comfortable interacting with many different types of people.

Ryan assisting campers with a puzzle

7. What advice would you give interested teens who want to be in the program?

Be able to talk to people. Be approachable and friendly.

8. Where do you see yourself in the future?

I see myself running for a college on an athletic scholarship, and then medical or veterinary school, and then opening up a private practice.

9. Has the experience here changed your future?

It has changed it in a positive way, because now I can approach/speak with a vast number of different people.

10. What is the one thing you would like people to know about you, outside of Zoo Crew?

I have big plans after high school. Big ideas and lots of them! And I love running!

11. What’s your favorite food to get from the Zoo’s concession stands?

Soft serve ice-cream! It’s hard to find good soft service ice-cream anywhere around here.

Jun
23

Houston Zoo Teen Volunteer Program-Zoo Crew

Posted by in Volunteer Programs,Zoo Crew

Do you ever wonder what Zoo Crew do in their section?  Well here’s your chance, we’re starting a new blog series called Zoo Crew Spotlight!  This will give you the inside view of what our Zoo Crew do in their primary sections, what they like about being in the program, and much more!  Stay tuned for your inside view…

Week 3 Theatrical Zoo Crew

Tags: , ,
Jun
22

Collegiate Conservation Program sponsored by ExxonMobil

Posted by in Classes/Programs,Education Office

This spring our Director of Education and Director of Conservation wrote a grant for a brand new collegiate level internship program at the Houston Zoo. ExxonMobil generously donated the money needed to fund this comprehensive conservation-education program. It is an 8-week long internship granted to 10 deserving college students.

On May 16th we began our first of eight weeks. I am lucky enough to coordinate this program with Elizabeth Fries (who you may have read about here) under the supervision of our Director, Chance. We furiously started working to put together 8 weeks of meaningful educational and conservation opportunities for the interns.

Looking for an osprey at Armand Bayou

Each week has a different theme. Our first week concentrated on the coastal prairie. We spent our time at the Texas City Prairie Preserve planting native prairie grasses, visiting the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge removing fences, and learning about field research techniques.

Week 2 was centered on community education. The interns took part in on-grounds interpretation, Zooper Challenges, Conservation Stations and even attended an amphibian workshop! They also worked at the Katy Prairie and with the Hermann Park Conservancy.

Week 3 was spent in the Big Thicket National Preserve. We stayed for 3 days and 2 nights in their field research station doing a variety of work. We constructed a bridge, cleared Chinese tallow (an invasive tree), and completed several mussel surveys.

Constructing a bridge at the Big Thicket

Last week we spent the majority of our time with the Galveston Bay Foundation. We harvested marsh plants for their Marsh Mania event and staged the plants at various sites. We then went back and planted the cord grass during a Saturday Marsh Mania. If you haven’t yet helped out at one of these events you definitely should. The staff is outgoing and friendly and the work is fun and well worth it!

All 10 interns with our friends at Galveston Bay and NRG

 This week we are learning about some of our international conservation projects including the Painted Dog in Zimbabwe and various projects in Borneo. The interns are learning how to use a camera trap and identify species in time-lapse photos from around the world.

The next 3 weeks will be very busy as we wrap up the internship. Our interns will work on a variety of different projects from sea turtles to amphibians as well as complete a conservation project proposal by the end of their time here. They will pick a regional conservation need and address it with a solution in a lunch-and-learn presentation with Zoo staff and ExxonMobil representatives. This will be the culmination of their time spent here at the Zoo and throughout the Houston area.

Hard at work on their project proposal

As our Education Department partners with our Conservation Department in programs like these we can only hope that the participants will take what they’ve learned and become conservation heroes in their own right.

Tags: , , ,
Jun
20

“What’s the word for what a predator eats?” “DINNER!”

Posted by in Camp,Classes/Programs

…this is just one of many memorable quotes from our Camp Zoofari kids.

This happened when a student in a 6-7 year old camp was patiently waiting during an animal handling class. The instructor showed the class a chinchilla; a rodent from South America. When the teacher discussed that this animal would hide from predators, she asked “what would be another word for what a predator eats?” (she was hoping to hear the word “prey”) and the child promptly yelled out “DINNER!”. Well…we couldn’t disagree. When the teacher prompted another response, someone yelled out “LUNCH!”. We really couldn’t have been upset when the campers were just being honest!

Campers visiting the Komodo Dragon exhibit

Although this exchange stands out in my memory, there are plenty of other irresistable camper quotes that occur throughout the summer. Another famous one comes from a girl who approached our Director during lunch. She asked for a glass of water because she was “choking on hotness!”. In other words, she had eaten hot Cheetohs and needed a drink desperately!

A participant in Keeper Camp visiting the aquarium

As full-time camp staff we get the pleasure of hearing these stories from June through August, and replayed throughout the year during lunch breaks when we just need a memorable laugh.

If you have a child between the ages of 4-12 and you’re wondering what you can do for the summer-look into our Camp Zoofari program. We are in the midst of week 2 and camp will continue through August 12th. Who knows, maybe your child could be the next to make it into the Camp Zoofari memorable quotes hall of fame!

Tags: ,
Jun
17

Introducing…Leigh Whitted Spencer!

Posted by in Education Office

So you have met 5 specialists and we are onto our final one! Our last specialist happens to be our Senior Education Specialist and she has been with the department for several years. Read more about her below!

Name: Leigh Whitted Spencer

Department and Title: Education; Senior Education Specialist

Leigh in a Harpy Eagle hut in Panama!

Job Description: Along with several other staff, I write and teach some of every program we offer. I am also responsible for the logistical side of our adult and family public programs.

Hometown: Bloomington, IL

Favorite animal and why? Acorn Woodpecker. Birds are my favorite group of animals, woodpeckers are my favorite birds, and the acorn woodpecker is my favorite woodpecker.

Favorite class to teach at HZI: I love to teach Point, Click, Zoo, our beginner-level adult photography class.

How long have you worked at the Houston Zoo? Two and a half years; I started in June of 2008.

Describe your education and experience prior to working at the Houston Zoo: I have my bachelor’s degree in Zoology and my master’s degree in Resource Interpretation. I worked as a show trainer and speaker for a bird show company and as a swing keeper at another zoo before coming to the Houston Zoo.

What do you enjoy most about working in the EduTeer Department? Because we offer a variety of programs, every day is different.

What animals do you have at home? I have a dog and an African grey parrot, both of which were rescues.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I worked with llamas while in high school and college, and I collect llama figurines and toys.

Leigh and Zuri-an African pygmy falcon

Thanks for reading our series on the EduTeer Department! We hope you enjoyed reading it as much as Leigh and I enjoyed writing it. We’ll see you back on this blog for stories on everything from Camp Zoofari to new happenings in the department!

Tags: , ,
Jun
15

Tours Are A Go!

Posted by in Classes/Programs,Featured,Fun on grounds

Chance feeding one of the lions at the training window!

The Zoo has always offered a variety of behind the scenes tours, but recently someone noticed that the process of registering, scheduling, and coordinating the keepers could use a bit of organization.

Fortunately, the Education department has some experience with that.

As part of the reorganization process, we got to go on “mock” tours of all the areas we now offer.  Let me tell you, there are some awesome experiences available!  Through the training process, I got to see the inside of the orangutan building, feed a lion at the training window, go inside the Zoo’s 10-below freezer, pass pieces of fruit to the cassowary, meet one of our new rhinos up close, and many more cool things!  

To make it all a little easier for everyone involved, our tours are now set to certain days and times.  For example, if you want to take a tour of the Commissary (and that super-cold freezer), you can do it on Tuesday or Thursday at 9:30am.  We’ve also made them more consistent: every tour starts with a 30-minute front of scenes tour led by one of the Education Specialists, and that person accompanies the group on the behind the scenes portion as well.

DeAndra feeds the bongo during our tour training!

As different areas offer different experiences, there are now categories of tours.  Sneak Peeks give you a look inside a back area of the Zoo, Premiere tours include an up-close animal experience, and the Star Treatment tours include an encounter with one of our coolest animals.  We’ve also added a Red Carpet Experience: The African Forest Safari Package.  This four-hour tour is the one I am the most excited about; it includes an hour front of scenes guided tour, lunch at Twiga Terrace, and behind the scenes tours of all four of the new animal buildings of The African Forest.  I hope someone books that tour, because I can’t wait to lead it!

Interested in booking a tour or finding out if your favorite animal area is available?  www.houstonzoo.org/tours

Tags: ,
Jun
10

Introducing…DeAndra Ramsey!

Posted by in Education Office

We are down to our last 2 specialists…meet our 2nd to last today!

Name: DeAndra Ramsey

Department and Title: Education; Education Programs Specialist

DeAndra with an African pygmy falcon

Job Description: Everyday I find ways to promote conservation by educating the public about wild animals, wild places, and the issues facing both. I get to be around the animals I love as well!

Hometown: Friendswood, TX

Favorite animal and why? I love all bats! They are such amazing creatures and they are often misunderstood. Bats have incredible adaptations that allow them to fill various roles in the ecosystems including pollinators, seed dispersers, and insect controllers. The world’s smallest mammal is a bat: the bumblebee bat which is less than an inch long full grown. They have amazing social structures. Vampire bats will even adopt orphaned vampire bat pups and raise them up with their own pups if the other mother dies. I can go on and on about beautiful bats!

Favorite class to teach at HZI: I love teaching Zoomobiles to older audiences. I get to go out into Houston and interact with the public while educating them about the amazing natural world in which we live. I enjoy teaching the older audiences because I get to dive into more of the “nitty gritty” science of all my topics and discuss things more in detail. The older audiences also tend to ask more questions of me that I might not know, which leads me to more research and learning on my part.

How long have you worked at the Houston Zoo? Since May of 2010

Describe your education and experience prior to working at the Houston Zoo: I attended Friendswood High School. Upon graduating, I attended Texas A&M University in College Station. While there, I was given the opportunity to work with pallid bats and also conduct research in West Texas with bat populations around the Big Bend area. This work lead to my discovery of all the amazing aspects of bats and my love for them! I graduated with my B.S in Biomedical Science and then moved back to the Houston area. I obtained a job as a basic researcher in urological oncology at Baylor College of Medicine. I also started tutoring students ranging from 5th grade to college students in science and reading. But of course my favorite subjects to tutor were the sciences! After working in the lab for 4 years, I decided that it was time to get back to my passion: animals. So I came to the Houston Zoo!

DeAndra on a ZooMobile program

What do you enjoy most about working in the EduTeer Department? I enjoy the fact that I can combine my passion and my talents. From a very young age, I have had a passion for animals and conservation that was nurtured by my mother. She also shared my passion and always encouraged me to follow it where ever it might take me. Here in the EduTeer department, I get to revel in that passion every day. I also have always enjoyed science and teaching. I feel very comfortable teaching and tutoring and speaking to people of various ages. And if I get to speak about anything dealing with science, even better! Plus, every single one of my colleagues is amazing and I love the fact that I get to come to work in a department with people who share my love of the natural world!

What animals do you have at home? I have a house full of carnivores.  I have 2 cats, Poly and Jack, which were both rescues from the SPCA. And yes, Poly should be spelled that way (short for polychromatic).  I have 2 ferrets, Billie (named after Billie Holiday and she is a girl) and George.  Billie was purchased from Petco and I went and got George from the SPCA.  And last but not least we have Condi, our beta. 

Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I love to knit, bake, read, and garden.

Check back next week and meet our last (but certainly not least) Education Specialist!

Tags: , , ,
Jun
03

Introducing… Martha Petre!!

Posted by in Classes/Programs,Education Office,Teacher Resources

Martha gets inspected by our big male giraffe, Kiva

One of our fearless bloggers, you can always learn more about Martha from her blog bio and frequent posts.  Now you have a chance to find out even more about her!

Name: Martha Petre

Department and Title: Education – Education Programs Specialist

Job Description: I write curriculum as well as teach all of our programs. My area of responsibility includes all things teachers-educator days, overnights, career days and professional development!

Hometown: Chautauqua, NY

Favorite animal and why? Sea turtles! I was lucky enough to study leatherback turtles in west Africa during an interim session of college and ever since then I’ve been hooked on all things sea turtles!

Favorite class to teach at HZI: I love our ZooMobile and Adventure Class programs. They are structured the same however our ZooMobile program goes off grounds while our Adventure Classes are held in our classrooms here.

How long have you worked at the Houston Zoo? I started here in September of 2009.

Describe your education and experience prior to working at the Houston Zoo: Before coming to the Houston Zoo I worked at a preschool in Austin, TX. I graduated from Lafayette College in Easton, PA with a major in International Affairs and a minor in Spanish. Although my formal education may not line up with the job I have now I volunteered and interned with wildlife organizations throughout college and always knew I had to work with animals in some capacity!

What do you enjoy most about working in the EduTeer Department? Everything! I am fortunate enough to have an ever-changing job where I’m never doing the same thing on a daily basis. I also have a fabulous group of people to work with-not only are they passionate about what they do, they are funny, easy to be around and dedicated workers!

What animals do you have at home? Unfortunately I am not allowed to have pets where I live, but if I move I’ve already picked out what type of dog I would like and what I’d name him!

Tell us a fun fact about yourself: I am the youngest of 4 and the only girl. Since I am much younger than my brothers (and not as strong), I had only one thing I felt I could hold above their heads-I am the only child in the family that could become president of the United States. This certainly is not a career goal of mine but my brothers were all born in Taiwan, making them ineligible.

Martha and DeAndra (another Education Specialist) with Tupelo-our baby Asian Elephant

We’re getting near the end!  Only 2 more Specialists to go before you’ve met our entire staff!

Tags: , , , ,