23rd Annual Spring Spectacular at America's Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College

America’s Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College announces its annual “Spring Spectacular” event the last two weekends of March and first weekend in April. The event showcases and raises funds for the Exotic Animal Training and Management (EATM) program and home of America’s Teaching Zoo.

The 23rd Annual Spring Spectacular is set for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 23, 24, 30 and 31; and April 6 and 7. Entry is $7 for children and senior citizens, $10 for adults. The Zoo is located in the northwest corner of the college at 7075 Campus Road in Moorpark, adjacent to Parking Lot M.
The Spring Spectacular 2013 theme is “Zoo Vision,” with special events including:

• Opportunities to see some of your favorite teaching zoo animals up-close


• Behind-the-scenes tours of America’s Teaching Zoo. Visit back areas not normally open to the public (at an additional cost)


• Fun, games, prizes, food vendors, animal-related booths and lots for kids to do


• Special guests from the animal training industry ... and even some animal celebrities

A very special event is set for 11:15 a.m. Sunday, March 24, as students, instructors and friends of EATM celebrate the 90th birthday for Clarence, the Galapagos Tortoise. Sing Clarence “Happy Birthday” and watch him receive a special birthday treat.

About America’s Teaching Zoo

America’s Teaching Zoo is part of the Exotic Animal Training and Management (EATM) program at Moorpark College, a public two-year community college associated with the California Community College system. EATM was established as a major at Moorpark College in 1974, eventually growing and moving from the lower portion of campus near the current football stadium, to its current location in 1990 on a 5-acre site called America’s Teaching Zoo.

The new facility includes new animal enclosures, and the animal collection has grown with donations and breeding loans from major zoos and research centers. This extraordinary collection has included exotic animals ranging from marmosets to an Asian elephant, leopard geckos, alligators, turacos, emus, a Bengal tiger, African lioness, spotted hyena, mountain lions, a wide variety of primates, birds, and many other exotic and endangered animals. New animals are continuously being acquired, as space arises.
EATM students are required to be at America's Teaching Zoo most days, including weekends when it is open to the public. This requirement is in addition to long hours and days spent working with and caring for the animals, and attending classes.

The Zoo has almost 200 different animals, and students are responsible for most of the care, feeding and well-being of the animals, under close faculty and staff supervision. Graduates of the EATM program are working all over the world, in many different situations involving animals. They are training dolphins and other marine mammals, doing conservation work, training animals for television and films, working at zoos and theme parks, and many other animal jobs.