I was early,very early in fact the zoo was not even open yet.As soon as the door opened we were in and greeted by our zoo keeper Ms. Cheryl-Ann.
I was not alone, I was with another kid named Theo. He too was there for the Junior Keeper experience.
First we were briefed on the rules and regulations. We made sure we had our wellington boots and top that was okay to get dirty.We had an itinerary to follow and a long list of do and don'ts.
Next on the list was cleaning the Buff Cheeked Gibbon enclosure.An interesting fact that we were told was baby gibbons when they are born are blonde and as the get older the hair will turn black and for females it will turn blonde again when they mature. Only the fur on the cheeks are golden for male and female will have a cap of black hair on their head. Gibbons are very territorial so we had to be sure the enclosure was secured and they can't get in while we changed the hay,swept the floor,cleaned the window and put in fresh cut fruits. I actually enjoyed cleaning out the enclosure.
We had to dip our boots in a special solution to be sure we don't carry in or out any germs from the enclosure and also a new pair of gloves.
Our next stop was a visit to see the three banded armadillo called Rodar, he was so cute and small and when he walks it looks like he is walking with heels as just the tips of his fore claws are touching the ground.We were able to touch it,hold it and feed it larvae. I was a bit nervous at this first but I eventually got the hang of it and enjoyed it.
Next we back to the armadillo enclosure to meet another animal. It was a Tenrec from Madagascar. It looks a lot like a hedgehog but it not even related to the hedgehog family. It is small and has spikes all over its body.It has hook like claws that help to grip and hold.
Our next activity was to make enrichment toy for the MEERKATS. We were given boxes and we had to fill them up with hay and grubs and tiny bits of carrots and apples. This activity is important to encourage meerkat's natural foraging behaviour. Meerkats are insectivores.
We had to be careful to keep our hands away from them and not attempt to pet them even if they look adorable and cuddly because they are vicious. The meerkats were leaping excitedly at the main cage and while foraging for food. They may be small but they are strong.
The last activity was the highlight. Getting up close and feeding the penguins. There are 3 different species of penguins: King, Gentoo and Rockhopper.
We were shown how to hand feed the penguins and that we cannot run after them to feed them, they will come to us. We get a bucket of fish and we dip our wellington boots into the special solution before we go into the enclosure.
I learnt something-penguins are fussy eaters. Not all of them wanted the fish and one wanted to eat from the bucket which it is not allowed to. I found one of the penguins will shake its head as if it was saying 'no thank you' to the fish.
We hand-fed the penguins by hold the fish at the its head and offer it to the penguins and if the open their beak we shove it in gently and wait to see if it spits it out or swallows. The penguins are 'friendly' and come really close to us although not everyone did. Ms.Cherlyn Ann said that some had just finished molting and the Kings were only interested in swimming. It was the Gentoos that came up to feed.
At the end we get a certificate, a T-shirt {that we decided to wear immediately} and I made a new friend. It was an awesome experience. Ms. Cheryl Ann was awesome too and very patient and told us many interesting facts about the animals that I actually remember them. I know that one day I will be working at the Edinburgh Zoo as a vet and maybe take some kids on a Keeper's Experience too.
