The staff got to feed meerkats on our tour training; on Sunday I led a group on the same tour!
I got to lead my first tours this week. They’re proving to be more than enjoyable for the guests; they are fun for me, too!
Our tours now include a 30 minute front of scenes tour before we head behind the scenes. This part is my responsibility. The cool part of this (for me, at least) is that our tours are small groups. With a maximum number of 6 for most tours, this allows for a more personal experience. It can be a bit more conversation and a bit less lesson than some of our other classes. It’s especially fun when people have a lot of questions, since this means I can tailor their tour based on their interests.
As part of our training, the Education Staff got to experience all the exciting parts of a tour as one of our guests would. That way, we would know what to expect. It also means that the temptation to participate is less. My job once we’re behind the scenes is to play escort. I shut doors, make sure that everyone knows and follows the rules, and anything else the keeper needs from me. I don’t get to do the fun stuff, but that’s okay. I’ve done it once before.
On Sunday, I led a Meerkat tour (and feeding!) for a group of six. On Thursday it was Rhinos behind the scenes for two. (It was a surprise birthday present for the woman on the tour; she was so excited!) Everyone was pleased and seemed to have a great time. I can’t wait to see where I’m headed next!
Do YOU want to experience one of our tours? You can find out more about them at our website: www.houstonzoo.org/tours. We’ve also got a handy calendar, so you can see which amazing animal areas are offered on each day of the week!
