Download - Dr. Zoolittle’s Animal Training - The Cincinnati Zoo ...cincinnatizoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/8-11s...Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Dr. Zoolittle’s Animal Training Camp,

Dr. Zoolittle’s Animal Training Camp, March – April, 2013 (Spring Break Camp)

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Dr. Zoolittle’s Animal Training Camp (8-11yr. olds)

Time requirement 7hrs./day- Monday-Friday Group size and grade(s)

Group Size (5-12 students)

Materials -Dry Erase Boards -Clickers -Targets -Rewards—Zoo swag, animal treats -Wheat & Sand -Kim’s Game (Memory Game) -Markers -Large Sheet of Paper - Index cards -Pencils

Goal(s) -Campers understand the why the zoo trains animals -Campers should know what is required to train animals -Campers should understand naturalistic behaviors -Campers should understand the connection between rewards and motivations -Campers will understand animal intelligence

Objective(s)

1. Campers will be able to train their pets (dog, cat, fish, brothers, sisters, etc)

2. Campers will be able shape a chosen behavior and train a zoo goat

3. Campers will be able to name several reasons why the zoo trains its animals

4. Campers will be able to identify different animal behaviors

Theme -This camp is an introduction to animal behavior, training and its uses in Zoos.

Sub-themes

1. Campers will understand how to train animals through operant conditioning.

At a glance This camp is an introduction to animal behavior and its applications to Zoo husbandry (i.e. animal enrichment,

classical and operant conditioning)

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden


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Academic standards (include on 1st

pg only if entire table fits; add box w/badge req. for scouts; eliminate for adults)

National Science Educational Standards

List relevant standards

Use numbers when possible. Benchmarks for Science Literacy (Project 2061)

Ohio Science Academic Content Standards

Kentucky Core Content—Science

Indiana Science Standards

Classical Conditioning: Knowledge is Power! We teach conservation programs everyday with the hope of changing our students’ behaviors at the zoo as well as at home. Our goal is to inspire kids to make easy positive choices that can have global effects. Our small choices can have profound effect on wildlife around the world. Keep this in mind as you teach and remember the knowledge you are passing to your campers may affect change. “Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world!” Nelson Mandela. Below is a relevant example of how applied knowledge is power and a little fun (see below). -After learning about classical conditioning in an entry level psychology class. One student applied their knowledge to pull off a prank based on classical conditioning and a behavioral response, as studied by Harvard Professor B. F. Skinner (one of the founders of animal conditioning). Throughout the football off-season, this student visited the Harvard football stadium during his lunch break. Dressed in a black and white striped shirt and trousers, filled his pockets with bird-seed, then went on to the 50 yard line, blew a whistle, and spread his birdseed on the field. The result of all of this effort, as the story goes, is that on opening day as the Harvard football team took the field to face their opponent, the referee blew his whistle to signal the start of the game, and the field was suddenly inundated by a flock of birds looking for their lunch. -Remember the information we pass on and the behaviors we model can have ripple effects with those that we teach! That is truly exciting!

Background Animal Intelligence- All instinct and NO reason?- Darwin would disagree Intelligence- An index of ability in tasks requiring cognition or an animal’s ability to reason. There is no generally agreed measure of animal intelligence. There are numerous examples and demonstrations of intelligent behavior, but the validity of tests of intelligence is open to criticism on the grounds that it is not possible to devise a problem solving test that is not biased in respect of one species or another. Are animals intelligent? A matter of perspective.. -Scientists really can’t agree. Some would say a horse is intelligent because it will respond to a riders commands. Others would say that if it was truly smart then it would not consent to be ridden. -Some say dolphins are very intelligent because of their ability to learn many commands. But this same animal will allow itself to be captured in a net?!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._F._Skinner



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*Observations by Darwin and other animal behaviorists, show that animals can reason and not all of their behavior is not purely instinct.(For the scope of the is camp- animals are intelligent, from a ground dwelling wasp to an Asian elephant- intelligence is a function of survival and all animals are good at survival). -Two types of behavior- Learned Behavior & Innate Behavior Innate Behaviors- Are those behaviors that are genetically programmed (instinctual) and shared across a species. For example, human babies are capable of both smiling and crying from the moment they are born, even though they have not been taught to do so and may receive no immediate response to their behavior. Same goes for birds and their begging and alarm calls. As soon as a baby bird hatches without hearing other calls- it knows, instinctually, how to make a call (begging) that tells mom or dad it is hungry. Learned Behaviors- Are behaviors that are modified by experience. For example- Wild new world monkeys were given chicken eggs (not hard boiled), at first they would smash them and their contents would go everywhere. But soon they learned to lightly tap them against rocks and eat nearly all the contents without spilling any. -Can animals learn? Absolutely, in fact, they learn to hunt, swim, fly…. Animal Swimming Lessons? Grey seal pups are capable of swimming 24hrs. after they are born. However, they will not venture out to sea for several weeks after birth. As they grow bigger they take their swimming lessons more seriously. Starting with a doggy paddle using their fore-flippers and then graduating to using their rear flippers like a real seal. Soon they will be able to hunt and escape predators. However, without learning how to use their flippers effectively, they could become some animals lunch. Hunting Lessons? Nearly all mammalian predators innately know they want to eat meat, or chase potential prey. But that doesn’t mean when they are born with great hunting skill. The development of the skill comes from learning and experience. For example, fox cubs learn to hunt from their mother. They learn different techniques on how to catch certain types of prey. Red fox will eat anything from an earthworm to a mouse. But in order to catch a mouse the young fox needs a certain hunting technique, the same goes for catching an earthworm. Young cubs will learn which technique to use for which meal. A red fox cub, learned to catch a mouse by jumping high into the air and pouncing, so as to fall with the front paws on the prey. After learning this behavior, it attempted to use the same technique on an earthworm. But this is a totally inappropriate way to catch such a prey item (wasting too much energy for a small return). The mother fox watched this behavior and showed the younger fox how to catch an earthworm in a far more appropriate way. The cub tried the new way and was rewarded with a fat earthworm! -Can animals get lost? Can they remember? Memory is usually considered the ability to recall or perform some previously learned piece of information or behavior. Animals have remarkable memories- some insect memories are incredible (digger wasps)

For example, a circle of pine cones were placed around the entrance hole to a female digger wasps nest while she was inside.



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When she emerged she flew around the immediate area, apparently checking out the position of the pine cones and then flew off to forage. While she was away the experimenter moved the circle of pine cones to one side of the entrance hole. She flew to the center of the cones where the entrance hole was before the experimenter moved them. She remembered the location! After flying around for several minutes she was able to relocate her hole. This animal showed memory by using landmarks as reference points to find her home. We use landmarks to help us remember things as well. Almost, every time tell people how to find my house I give them landmarks as part of the directions (e.g. turn left at the gas station). -Can animals pass on information? Can they problem solve and develop traditions/culture? A troop of monkeys, Japanese macaques, were studied in the wild. They were regularly fed sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes were thrown on a beach and were often covered in sand. One macaque picked up a sweet potato washed it a nearby river, another macaque saw this behavior and mimicked it. When they had offspring, these individuals taught their offspring of the behavior and a culture was passed on. This showed the ability for a population of macaques to learn, remember and pass on information!—Intelligence! The same troop of monkeys were given wheat thrown on the beach. The monkeys found it very difficult and time consuming to separate the wheat grains from the sand grains. But one individual picked up a fist full of sand and wheat and threw it in a nearby watering hole. The wheat floated and the sand sank. Then they were able to eat the wheat from the surface of the water. Pretty smart! -Do animals use medicine? Sick animals take medicine just as humans do. Chimpanzees will walk 20 minutes or more in search of aspilia plants a member of the sunflower family! They will walk by perfectly good food as they search specifically for the aspilia plants! INCREDIBLE! They collect the leaves and massage them in their mouth for about 15 seconds without chewing. Then they will swallow them whole, making sour faces just like a small child taking medication. The leaves are rich in a naturally occurring drug that kills parasitic worms, bacteria and fungi. Grizzly bears and black bears chew on a plant root known to kill parasites then will spit it up and rub it into their fur, which kills ticks, fungi.

These examples are meant to show the diversity of intelligence in the animal world. From culture in primates to location in arthropods animals are intelligent creatures and these examples just scratch the surface.



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Vocabulary

Behavior- Anything an animal does: patterns may be simple or complex

Intelligence- An animal’s ability to reason, learn, plan, think and solve problems

Habituation is when an animal learns not to respond to certain stimulus, because that stimulus has been encountered many times without any consequences. A good example of this is a scarecrow in a garden. Birds at first may be startled, but after many times of nothing negative happening the birds realize it isn't a threat.

Imitation- Primates and other animals learn by imitation. Mimicking

Innate Behavior- Genetically programmed response to stimuli (I’m hungry- bird begging call- instinctual)

Learned Behavior- A behavior that is modified by experience



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Dr. Zoolittle’s Animal Training Camp

Spring Break Camp 2013

Day I- Animal Intelligence

General Details: -ALL ANIMALS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE FOR ANIMAL DEMOS- I will try to make sure all animals listed are available -ONE SNACK WILL BE GIVEN/ DAY YOU WILL DISTURBUTE AT YOUR OWN DESCRETION- -The TRAIN is a free resource that you should use as a reward/incentive when the campers are well behaved -Be aware of FOOD ALLERGIES- If you have a camper with food allergies (i.e. peanut/tree nut- make sure they are assigned one specific lunch tray for the entire week) EVERYDAY ZERO LANDFILL CHALLENGE: Across the Zoo, we are trying to become a “Zero Landfill Institution.” -This requires us to look at all of our lunches in a different manner: We will have three buckets in each classroom- One- GREEN, one White & one Black. These buckets will collect our camper’s compost, recycling and landfill trash, respectively, each day. -To achieve this: I suggest after lunch is finished have each camper come up to the three buckets individually and you help them figure out what is compostable, recyclable or needs to stay in the landfill (By the second or third day of camp- the campers should be able to do this on their own).

-For each piece of their lunch that can be recycled or composted- Have the each camper “High Five the Earth” (Slap the ground). Lets get kids excited about saving the planet!!!!!!!!

-At the end of each day- take the three buckets to the Zero Landfill Receptacles on the first or second floor of education -ALL DRINKS (ONE/DAY)- SHOULD BE REUSED AS A WATER BOTTLE—LABEL EACH CHILDS



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-ASSIGN ONE OR SEVERAL CHILDREN EACH DAY TO BE THE “SUSTAINABILITY STEWARD” THESE CAMPERS WILL BE IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE THE LIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF AND ALL RECYCLABLE MATERIALS ARE PUT INTO THE CORRECT BINS!!*** Welcome/Introduction (20 minutes): The first day of camp--- Make sure the kids are comfortable and you have introduced yourself to each child and parent specifically as they entered. -Also, have a brief conversation with each parent about their camper, especially those campers with allergies or behavioral issues. These brief conversations help to put the parents at ease. -Before the parents leave make sure they have filled out their dismissal pass and you hand them a “Camp Itinerary” this is a breakdown of each day and helps facilitate conversation between campers and parents at the end of each day. -Go around the circle and introduce yourself and ask the kids: -Their Name

-Favorite Animal, food, game, sport, what they want to do when they grow up, etc.

RULES- This is very important, if you lay out what is expected the campers will have no choice but to acquiesce. Rules and Expectations – (Can ask kids to make suggestions for rules they want – be sure to add any additional ones they forget).

A. Spring Break camp is fun time of discovery and learning about different animals. But we need everyone’s help to ensure that they are always safe. There are a few rules that everyone need to follow this week.

B. Give directions without sounding like it. Use the way you present an activity and how you emphasize its steps as a way to minimize “giving the rules.” A great way to do this is to try and turn everything you want to give as a rule into something you expect. So, instead of saying something negative like “Don’t scream”(One of my favorites) you could say “We are to talk in classroom voices” Campers are constantly receiving “No, Stop, Don’t” rules in their lives at camp and at home. The problem with these rules, while sometimes necessary, is that they may not explain what they should be doing as well. By stating things in the positive you explain to them your expectations for what they should be doing and sometimes can eliminate the need for “rules” altogether.

C. 1. RULE # 1: Show RESPECT for your instructor, each other and the animals.

Keep your hands to yourself

Be nice to kids as well as adults

Follow directions of the instructor and teen

Listen when others talk

Stay seated until dismissed

Ask kids to suggest more ways they can show respect



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2. RULE # 2 : STAY SAFE

Stay with the group at all times

Stay behind leader

Hold hands with partner 3. RULE # 3: If you get lost…

Stay where you are- the group will come back to look for you

Look around you for someone who works at the zoo- they will have a name tag just like the one your instructor wears.

Tell them you are lost

D. If anyone has difficulty following these rules this week, the instructor will help you follow that rule.

-Sarah & I- Should be seen as the principles of Spring Break camp

OR Group Contract

Need: Dry Erase Board, Markers, Large Sheet of Paper Directions:

1. As a group, write up a list of expectations that the kids come up with for the week. Encourage them to think how they want to be treated.

2. Write the rules/expectations on the poster board. Can also include consequences (sitting out for an activity, sitting out during animal time, talking with parent, talking with Camp (Principle), etc.).

3. Make sure to include the following rules (above) as well as others you may want or think are relevant

4. Ask the kids to sign the list and show that they agree with what has been written. Post the paper in the room in a prominent place.

Getting To Know Each Other Game: All about you….

Need: index cards, pencils Directions:

1. Welcome everyone to spring break camp and explain that before we get started with our fun-filled week of animal training and enrichment. We need to get to know each other. In order to do that, let’s play “All About You”. (This is what the game was originally called – feel free to change it)!

2. Pass out an index card and pencil to each person. Ask them to write down two true statements about themselves. The instructors and volunteens (if we have them hopefully should also participate in this activity.

3. Next, collect all the cards. Choosing cards randomly, read aloud the statements. Can the kids guess whose card it is?

Wrap Up



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-Rules and expectation are important for the campers but we should not focus on discipline. Rather we should focus on the fun we can have at the zoo. By following our expectations/rules we can optimize our fun!! Week’s Overview- (5 min) Unique camper experience! -This week campers will be able to do things that most employees here at the zoo don’t get a chance to do!! That is train animals in our zoo collection!! - By the end of the week campers will have taught a couple zoo animals some new behaviors. -Ask them if anyone has trained a pet at home? Or watched their parent teach the family pet how to sit, stay or roll over? Imagine the campers get to the same thing but with ZOO ANIMALS! WOWOWW!! -We have a lot of exciting plans for the week and we expect the campers to be well behaved so you guys have more time behind the scenes training animals at the zoo. -Before we start training animals we must learn about their intelligence, abilities, motivations and natural behaviors. Let’s get started!!! Today’s Topic/Overview- (10min)- Animal Intelligence Getting ready -Poster Board -Markers Doing the activity- How Smart are animals?- -Write the bolded questions with an asterisk * by them separately on a poster board. -Post these up around the room. You will answer all these questions before the end of the day. So this will help facilitate discussions and act as a review at the end of the day!--- When you revisit these questions ask the students which animal can do these tasks and do they remember how they showed they could? -Then tally how many kids think if animals can or can’t do these activities: *Can animals learn information? You learned how to walk or run. Can anyone of you ride a bike or do addition? Do you remember what you learned at school before Spring break, etc? *Can animals remember directions? Or Do they get lost? Do you know how to get to school, grocery, the zoo or a friends house from where you live? *Can animals remember the information they learn? Could you teach your younger sibling how to ride a bike or do addition? Do animals take medicine? Do you ask your parents to get you medicine if you are sick? Can animals outsmart us? Most kids will say no way! -If your dog is outside and wants to come in will it bark? Once you hear a bark then you get up and open the door for them! I do it all the time! Apache has outsmarted me and trained me! *Do you think animals will help humans? We help animals, so hopefully if given the chance animals will help us! Here is an experiment that shows it……

While a chimpanzee watched, a human was playing with a toy. Another experimenter then came and stole the toy and placed it out of the other person’s reach but within reach of the chimpanzee. The question was whether the chimpanzee would return the stolen toy to the human who had previously been playing with it. Regardless of whether the chimpanzee was rewarded with food for returning the toy or not, the chimpanzees



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repeatedly helped the human. Across ten trials there was no decrease in helping even though the chimpanzee was repeatedly requested to help without receiving a food reward. They even helped in a condition where retrieving the toy required climbing several meters into a tunnel before bringing it back to the human. When the exact same procedure was run with young infants, there was no species difference in the level of helping. Thus, when tested in the same situation (that did not require understanding the physical properties of an apparatus) chimpanzees are as helpful as human children. -I really like this example as it speaks volumes to animals—when given the opportunity to help humans, they do every time. As humans we understand we have the ability to positively affect change. We can learn from our animal counter parts.

Wrap Up -We will answer all of these questions as we go through the day. Today is a test of how intelligent animals are and what they are capable of. -In order, to train an animal we must know the capabilities of the animal. We don’t want confuse an animal or ask it to perform a task that is physically impossible for it to complete. -If we ask too much of our animals they won’t trust us and allow us to train them.

Which Animal gets the Einstein Award? (15 min) Getting ready -Pictures of various animals from various classes of animals -Chimp, bees, frogs, snakes, lizards, black bear, raccoon, giraffe, etc. -Dry Erase board/Poster Board -Blue ribbons -Internet connection Instructions Ask the campers: What is the most intelligent class of animal? -Mammals, Birds, Insects, Reptiles, Amphibians?

-From there ask the students to name a species from the winning Class, that they think is the most intelligent. Mammal? Bird?.....

-Have the students give the blue ribbon to the animal voted the most intelligent -Then tell all the campers that all animals have the ability to learn and are smart in their own way.

-As we will see in the next activity – intelligence is a matter of perspective

Smart for Survival!

Ask the campers how being smart could help them survive in the wild? -Working together/Avoiding Predators—Cooperation- Two heads are better than one http://animal.discovery.com/videos/fooled-by-nature-monkey-dear.html

-This video demonstrates how animals, that are eaten by the same predator can help each other to survive. They have learned to recognize how other animals react to predators hanging around.--- Pretty Smart! Cooperation

-Accessing food--- Tool usage http://animal.discovery.com/videos/fooled-by-nature-crafty-capuchins.html

http://animal.discovery.com/videos/fooled-by-nature-monkey-dear.html

http://animal.discovery.com/videos/fooled-by-nature-crafty-capuchins.html



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-After watching the video ask the campers if they think these monkeys are smart?! I would say so.

Wrap Up Some animals may be smarter than others but all animals have the ability to learn! Since we know all animals can learn then we could say they all have the ability to be trained! Some more than others.

Camper Challenge (15 min)- If the campers have done this experiment before go to next “Camper Challenge” Getting ready -Wheat -Sand -3 tubs of water -Stopwatch -Trays Doing the Activity -This is a problem that the campers need to solve to test their ability to solve issues. -If they have done this before then have the campers race to see which group can get the most wheat germ separated from the sand. Then move on to the “new experiment” -This problem was solved by a troop of wild Japanese macaques & lead to the idea that animals could remember and pass on information from one generation to another (More information in background) Round I: -Explain to the campers they will be given two items at first: Wheat & Sand -The Wheat and sand will be mixed together -Their task will be to separate the wheat & sand -Have the campers split into different teams (3 or 4/group) -The Teams will have to see which team can separate the wheat from the sand the quickest (2minutes or 60 seconds depends on the group) -Let the teams brain storm for couple minutes before starting them (GO) -Ask them if it was difficult -Can they devise a better way? Round II: -Now introduce the tub of water -The campers can use it if they think it will help them separate the wheat & sand -Now let the campers try it again (2 minutes) -Did they all use the water? -Was it quicker/easier? Wrap Up -These are learned behaviors and learned by imitation Explain to the campers what behaviors were seen when these primates were presented with the same problem Explain that this information was passed on from generation to generation in the macaque troop.



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New Camper Challenge (10min) Getting Ready -Clear PVC tube-3 -Pieces of candy-3 -Tub of water-1 (let them all use the same tub) -Cups-3 -Stopwatch Doing the Activity -Tell the campers we are going to have them try to solve a problem -Split them in to groups of 3 or 4, each group will receive the same supplies -Explain to the campers that they must get an object from a piece of clear PVC pipe, without turning the pipe upside down. -Introduce the supplies that they will have to solve the problem

-The clear PVC tube will be attached to a board (make sure the campers know they can’t just turn it upside down). -Inside the PVC will be a piece of candy (one that will float) -A tub of water and a cup

-The challenge is to see if the campers can figure out a way to get the piece of candy out of the pipe using any or all of the supplies presented to them. -You can time them if you want; especially if the campers think they are smarter than their hominid relatives -After the campers try and hopefully succeed show them the video of a chimp solving the same problem. The chimp is impressive and very smart. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW0jDPv54ZM&feature=related Wrap UP -This experiment shows that our ape relatives are very capable and intelligent -Still visit the Japanese macaques as this is more fitting for the days topic and we will visit our Bonobos later -When you review the questions above- be sure to reflect on this experiment Hike (45 minutes) Prior to Hike Pair up into partners Emphasize staying with their partner and the group! Establish that the instructor will be the leader Take a bathroom break & or Snack Time- Depending on the campers Destinations: Snow Monkey Island & Gorilla World

Japanese Macaques

Life span: 28 years (M), 32 years (F) Total population: approx. 100,000 Regions: Japan Gestation: 171 days

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW0jDPv54ZM&feature=related



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Height: 570.1 mm (M), 522.8 mm (F) Weight: 11.3 kg (M), 8.4 kg (F)

MORPHOLOGY

The fur of the Japanese macaque can vary among shades of brown from grey or yellow brown to exclusively brown (Fooden & Aimi 2005). Japanese macaques have a pinkish face and posterior with a short stump of a tail (Rowe 1996). There is a degree of sexual dimorphism between male and female Japanese macaques with the males weighing somewhat more than the females and on average having a longer body length than the females.

Japanese macaques are predominantly quadrupedal and can be considered semi-terrestrial. Females spend more time in trees than males and males spend more time on the ground than females. Leaping is seen in the Japanese macaque, but suspension from supports is not common (Chatani 2003). Japanese macaques are excellent swimmers and are reportedly able to swim distances of over half a kilometer (Mito 1980 cited in Fooden & Aimi 2005). This macaque's fur is a unique adaptation to cold, as fur thickness increases as habitat temperature decreases and allows the monkey to cope with winter temperatures as low as -20° C (-4° F) (Hori et al. 1977).

RANGE

The Japanese macaque is native to the islands of Japan. Even though its range is restricted to the three southern main islands of Japan, the species nevertheless represents the northernmost wild populations of non-human primates in the world. Some northern populations exhibit significant cold adaptation as northern Honshu can be snowbound for up to a third of the year.

HABITAT

Due to variations in the latitude and altitude of the Japanese islands, the habitat of the Japanese macaque varies greatly between the extremes of its distribution. Near the southern end of the population distribution, habitats include sub-tropical forest and at the northernmost reaches, sub-arctic forest is found in mountainous regions. Between these two extremes, both warm and cool temperate forests are found (Uehara 1975). These types of forest include both the deciduous forests of central and northern Japan and the broadleaf evergreen forests of the southwest of the islands.

ECOLOGY The omnivorous Japanese macaque is not a picky eater and will eat a great variety of foods including over 213 species of plant. Other main foods eaten include insects and soil- to get trace elements and nutrients. The average group size of the Japanese macaque is 40 individuals but they can range from 10 to as large as 160. The Japanese macaque is diurnal, active during the day. Daily activities vary with the seasons as well as with habitat.

http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/glossary#50






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Japanese macaques are preyed upon by several species including feral dogs and Mountain Hawk Eagles. In addition, raccoon dogs may be a predator of the Japanese macaques, especially infants. COMMUNICATION—Can they learn? Can they remember information?

The Japanese macaque utters a number of vocalizations which can be roughly divided into six groups: peaceful or soothing, defensive, aggressive, warning, female estrus, and infant vocalizations. Over half of the vocalizations uttered by the Japanese macaque are peaceful or calm. Often, during feeding or moving (i.e. hiking), Japanese macaques will utter a "coo" sound which likely functions in group cohesion by allowing females to reinforce their social ties. This "coo" sound is not typically heard in agonistic interactions, and when uttered, other Japanese macaques typically respond in kind.

-You could integrate something like the “Coo” this into your hikes, if the campers think it is really cool. If a camper is getting too far behind your group could make some secret sound that would communicate to everyone- to come back together.

The "coo" in conjunction with the "girney" is also uttered immediately before grooming contact between individuals. Research on the "girney" call in grooming contexts has shown that variants of a specific call have specific purposes and affect different outcomes (Masataka 1989). The function of the "girney" is also supposed to be as a form of appeasement between individuals and serves to curtail interpersonal aggression. Alarm calls and estrous calls in the Japanese macaque are quite similar in sound yet serve two discrete purposes and have different motivations. Alarm calls serve to warn the troop of danger while the similar estrous call serves to advertise the reproductive state of a specific monkey.

The Japanese macaque also uses facial expressions to communicate between those of its species. In captivity, threatening facial expressions include "ear-flattening," "brow-raising," "ear-erecting" and "mouth-opening." Subordinate behavior includes "grimacing." Other captive physical communicatory clues include lipsmacking, presenting and hindquarters displays and "gaze-avoidance" (Masataka & Fujii 1980).

Display behavior is also an important aspect of Japanese macaque communication. Display behavior is seen in several postures in Japanese monkeys including shaking, kicking, and leaping. Such displays serve as a method by which a male advertises himself to potential mates. An increase in display postures is seen during the breeding season in males, but not in females. Compound displays with more than one individual participating were observed in an introduced troop in Oregon. Only a small proportion of female individuals perform displays and this small proportion is typically high-ranking within a troop. All adult males within a troop perform displays (Wolfe 1981).

Gorilla World Conservation status: Critically endangered (G. gorilla), Endangered (G. beringei)




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Life span: 30 to 40 years (wild), 50 years (captive) Total population: approx. 130,000 (wild), 350 (captive) Regions: Western and eastern central Africa Gestation: 8.5 months (256 days) Height: 1700 mm (M), 1500 mm (F) Weight: 181 kg (M), 72 to 98 kg (F)

MORPHOLOGY

Western and eastern gorillas are more genetically distant from one another than are chimpanzees and bonobos. Gorillas have dark brown to black fur and black skin. Dominant adult males, called silverbacks, have a prominent sagittal crest and striking silver coloration from their shoulders to rump. Males and females are sexually dimorphic, with males weighing up to 400 lb in the wild and 500 lb in captivity and measuring, on average, 1700 mm, while females weigh between 159 and 216 lb and measure, on average, (4.92 ft).

Spending the majority of their lives on the ground, the main locomotion pattern of gorillas is quadrupedal knuckle-walking although they do climb and spend limited amounts of time standing bipedally. Because of their sheer size, adult gorillas must climb near the main trunk of a tree or on large branches while juveniles and adolescents are more agile .Gorillas live between 30 and 40 years in the wild and up to 50 years in captivity (Stoinski pers. comm.).

RANGE

Gorillas are patchily distributed in east central and equatorial west Africa, separated by the Congo River and its tributaries.

HABITAT

Because of their great geographical separation, about 466 mi, western and eastern gorillas live in dramatically different habitats. Even within-species habitat variation is quite great, from swamp to montane forest. Eastern gorillas live in submontane and montane forests.

ECOLOGY

The considerable dietary differences between mountain, western, and eastern lowland gorillas impact home range size and social behavior. Despite these differences, though, all gorilla groups exhibit synchronized activities and, throughout the day, alternate between rest periods and travel or feeding periods.

Western lowland gorillas have little dependable access to high quality terrestrial herbs across their range, but some areas are rich in aquatic herbs and they do eat herbaceous vegetation. Fruit is widely available, though dispersed, across their range, and is a central component of their diet, especially during times of fruit abundance (Tutin 1996; Doran & McNeilage 2001; Doran et al. 2002). Termites and ants are also important dietary staples. Western lowland gorillas have the largest home ranges and travel the farthest of all gorilla subspecies because of










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their reliance on fruit. The average distance traveled per day is 1105 m (.687 mi) and western lowland gorillas range over seven to 14 km² (2.70 to 5.41 mi²) (Tutin 1996).

In some parts of their ranges, gorillas are sympatric with chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and dietary overlap in plant food and fruit is great. Where they occur together, gorillas and chimpanzees also have similar habitat use patterns and ecological competition is likely to occur (Kuroda et al. 1996). Though they share a similar niche, competition has not been recorded at any of the sites where the two apes overlap (McNeilage 2001).

Gorillas are vulnerable to predation by leopards (Panthera pardus), though direct documentation of attacks is difficult to obtain and rare. Evidence from leopard scat in areas where gorillas range is often the only means of confirming leopard predation, though even this is questionable as the large cats could simply be scavenging carcasses (Fay et al. 1995).

COMMUNICATION

Vocal communication among gorillas is important in within-group interactions as well as extra-group interactions. Within-group calls, include "copulatory grunts" and "whimpers" during copulation, "whines" and "whimpers" by infants, "play chuckles" during play, "intense" and "mild cough grunts" during mild threat displays, and "close" calls that include both "syllabled" and "non-syllabled" calls such as "train-grunts" and "dog whines" (Fossey 1972; Harcourt et al. 1993). "Close" calls are commonly given within the group in situations of either potential separation or potential conflict. Extra-group calls serve to alert group members of potential predation and include "barks" or are given as long-distance threat displays upon detection of another group and include the "hoot series," which may be accompanied by chest beating (Fossey 1972; Harcourt et al. 1993). Most calling occurs within-groups during feeding times, though gorillas also call during rest periods as well (Harcourt et al. 1993).

Wrap UP Back in the classroom- Have the students go up to the poster boards and write in information they learned to answer the questions! Animal Encounters (20 min) Getting ready

For all ages, emphasize rules before bringing out the animals:

Stay seated

Be quiet Doing the activity Kea- - If Jackie from the bird show is available, then she will bring down a Kea and walk thru some of the training they do to show off their intelligence. She will give examples of animal intelligence (e.g. how the kea have learned to master a puzzle). She will also talk about training as a primer to the rest of camp.


http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/chimpanzee



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Lorikeet Landing- After this interaction you can hike the campers down to Lorikeet Landing to feed the lorikeets. The lorikeets are temperature sensitive so they may not be out but by the end of march they should be. Lunch/Break/Downtime/Watch a part of a video (40 minutes): -Check Food Allergies- Afternoon Topic: Getting ready -Poster Board -Markers Doing the activity- Do animals get lost? This seems really important! It probably requires a good memory. If an animal’s home is where it is the safest, it is imperative that an animal can find it! -Then tally how many kids think if animals get lost? Find your way Back! (15 minutes) Getting Ready -Dry Erase Board -Map Doing the Activity: -Getting lost is just testing ones memory! -Ask the students if they think they could find the fastest route to Gorilla World. -Ask a few volunteers to explain how they would get back to Gorilla World, without getting lost -Draw the path they describe on the dry erase board. Was it correct? -Did they use location markers? Like go left at the bathrooms or right next to the reptile house?? -Have the students imagine that they had to find their home, or they could be in great danger. -That is a reality animals face everyday! -Being able to remember where to go is very important. Wrap UP -This is a test of our ability to remember the placement of items. Imagine if our memory had to save our lives?! Memory Game (15 minutes) -16 total primate pictures/class -There should be 8 different species

-Gorilla, Aye-Aye, Chimp, Jap. Macaque, Orangutan, Buff-Checked Gibbon, Proboscis Monkey, Langur

-Each species will have a match Doing the Activity:



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-This game will test our ability to remember things -Place all the pictures upside down in a square in front of the campers -Explain to the campers that you are going to test their memory with a classic matching game -Flip over one picture, show the campers what species it is, then flip it back over -Then flip over a second random picture, keep going until the campers can remember a match -Once the campers get a match remove both pictures from the “board” and continue until all the pictures are removed. -This exercise was pretty easy because all of your classmates were able to use their memory and together, as a group, were able to find the matches. Wrap UP -Experiments have been done with Orangutans to test their memory. In a very similar manner to the game you just played. -Scientists were very surprised about how well an orangutans memory was. They used the same test on humans and found the orangutans had a better short term memory than humans!? -Ask the students, how they remembered where certain items were? Did they use landmarks (the gibbon picture was next to the orangutan picture, etc.)? Animals use land marks, that requires some intelligence. They draw maps in their heads, a pretty cool adaptation to have! Hike (1 hour) Prior to Hike Pair up into partners Emphasize staying with their partner and the group! Establish that the instructor will be the leader Take a bathroom break & or Snack Time- Depending on the campers Destinations: Insect House & 4D theater INSECT WORLD

There are several animals that are NOT insects in the exhibit – see how many the kids can find (lizard species black widow spider, emperor tamarins, naked mole rats, scorpions, giant centipedes, etc.)

Emperor Scorpion -Not an insect – but still an arthropod (Phylum Arthropoda, Class Arachnida, Order Scorpiones) -Weighs as much as a hard-boiled egg (about 1.1oz) -Some scorpions glow in ultraviolet—light. One theory suggests that many insects are sensitive to natural UV light and when they see it, head towards it. In this case, the “light” is actually a scorpion who grabs the insect to eat. Scorpions are like a living bug zapper -Live birth to about 35 babies are born live after 7-9 months. They ride around on Mom’s back and then may live together in a group for awhile. Young molt several times, getting progressively darker. -Large emperor scorpions rarely use tail to sting and kill prey – use claws to crush it, instead. -Over 1,100 sp. of scorpions and less than 30 are considered to be dangerous to humans. Emperor scorpions are not lethal to humans. Malaysian Walking Leaf -Incomplete metamorphosis – eggs laid in dirt, nymph, adult -Nymphs are about 1 inch long at hatching



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-2 year lifespan -Females have small wings and can’t fly -Defend themselves by using back legs (with spines) like a nutcraker.

Giant Hissing Cockroaches -Incomplete metamorphosis – look for nymphs (often pale cream color) and adults in exhibit -Female carries eggs inside body where they hatch – can produce over 750 young in her lifetime. -Males have 2 bumps on top of head (females don’t). -Hissing noise comes from spiracles, small openings on side of body used for respiration. When air is forced out, makes hissing noise – used to startle predators, in courtship, and in territorial disputes. -Over 3,500 sp. of cockroaches – very important recyclers in ecosystems.

Hercules Beetle -Complete metamorphosis – female leaves eggs and feces in rotting logs -Larva hatch, feed, and grow in rotting log (look like grubs you might see in your lawn) -2 years to reach adulthood -Same family as Japanese, June, and Dung Beetles -Males use horns to pinch

Leaf Cutter Ants -Go through complete metamorphosis -Ants are divided into several different jobs: -Soldiers – largest with jaws that can cut through leather -Gardeners – smallest – tend the fungus garden in the colony -Foragers – carry pieces of leaf 3x their own weight from tree to garden -Leaf-cutters – cut the pieces of leaf to pass to the foragers Honey Bees Intelligence through communication! WAGGLE DANCE -A bee performs the waggle dance when she wants to inform other bees of a nectar source she has found. -The waggle occurs on a special dance floor, which is conveniently located near the entrance of the hive to facilitate quick entry and exit of foragers, and only bees with news of highly profitable sources of nectar execute the dance. Arriving back at the nest, a bee with news to share immediately proceeds to the dance floor where other bees waiting for news gather around her. -During the waggle, she dances a figure-eight pattern, with a straight "walk" in between the loops and a sporadic fluttering of her wings.



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-The worker communicates several key pieces of information during the dance. The longer she waggles - typically bees make between one and 100 waggle runs per dance - the farther the flower patch (food source) lies from the hive, with every 75 milliseconds she prolongs the dance adding roughly another 330 feet to the distance. She shows how rich the source is by how long and/or how vigorously she dances (Imagine if you are really excited about something- like if you ask your parents to take you somewhere. You ask like take me please, pretty please if you are especially interested in going). - Perhaps most astonishingly, she indicates the direction of the source by the angle her waggle walk deviates from an imaginary straight line drawn from the dance floor to the sun at its current position. In other words, if the source lies in the exact direction of the sun, the bee will walk facing exactly straight up (remember that a hive hangs vertically). If it lies 20 degrees to the right of that imaginary line to the sun, the angle of the bee's walk will be 20 degrees to the right of vertical. Finally, the dancer shares the odor of the flowers in question with the other bees, who sample it with their antennae. Basic info. -Complete metamorphosis

-Larvae develop in cells of the comb that workers make out of wax secreted from special glands.

-Divided into different roles: -Queen – the reproductive female, life expectancy is up to 2 years -Drones – males that are designated to mate with queen -Workers – sterile females that do many jobs including cleaning the comb cells, caring for developing larvae, guarding entrance of the hive, and collecting nectar. Life expectancy is about a month.

Talk about great communicators!! BUTTERFLY GARDEN – area surrounding Insect World Species You Might See -Monarch butterfly, Cabbage White, Tiger Swallowtail, Painted Lady, Black Swallowtail -Discuss how butterflies feed. They actually taste a flower with its feet before feeding on nectar using long proboscis. Look at a flower up close to see how far the butterfly has to reach. -Why are butterflies insects? Look for characteristics of insects. -Ask kids about lifecycles of butterflies – what are the parts of it, why is there lifecycle short, etc.

Complete metamorphosis: egg (often laid on specific plant – depends on sp. of butterfly), larvae (caterpillar – often molts as it grows.), pupae (chrysalis), adult (butterfly)

4D Theater Experience—2:30pm Showtime (20 min)

Animal Encounters (20 min) Getting ready

Terrarium

Cereal boxes = Cover



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Stay seated

Be quiet Doing the activity Cockroach -Inquiry Experiment: -Bring in one cockroach and try to mimic the experiment done with the ground wasp. -Set up a place in the terrarium for the cockroach to go under when placed in the terriarum -Talk to the students about how cockroaches like to hide beneath things and don’t like light at all. -Ask the students to make a prediction as to where they think the cockroach will go in the terrarium. Under the cover or in a corner or out in the open? -Once all the kids have made a prediction. Put the cockroach in and see what happens? -Repeat and time how long it takes for the cockroach to find cover -Now move the cover and see if it takes longer for the cockroach to find it? -You can add in other “land marks” to see if that affects the cockroaches behavior. -Allow the students to design different “courses” and make predictions along the way -Have fun with this. Be sure to let the students start to lead the activity after you have explained it. Wrap UP -Explain that animals have to think and remember quite a bit while trying to survive, which can be quite difficult. Recess (behind the education center or inside the Frisch’s theater) Ride the Train, tram Carousel (55 min) -Stop at the CZ Goat yard and introduce the students to their training partners -Let the campers run out some of their energy- Can do several fun games (See “bag-o-tricks”) Dismissal/Explanation of the Week and their objectives (10 min) Getting ready -Goat trading cards Doing the Activity -Explain to the students that they will train an actual goat, a chicken and a maybe a chinchilla or a rabbit! They will be in charge of training these animals’ new behaviors! -Tomorrow you all will begin training a goat! -This is meant to get the kids excited about coming back tomorrow -Review what you learned with the campers -Dismissal- But sure to check each parents identification against your dismissal pass before dismissing each camper.



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Day II- Motivation

General Details: -ALL ANIMALS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE FOR ANIMAL DEMOS- I will try to make sure all animals listed are available -ONE SNACK WILL BE GIVEN/ DAY YOU WILL DISTURBUTE AT YOUR OWN DESCRETION- -The TRAIN is a free resource that you should use as a reward/incentive when the campers are well behaved -Be aware of FOOD ALLERGIES- If you have a camper with food allergies (i.e. peanut/tree nut make sure they are assigned one specific lunch tray for the entire week) EVERYDAY ZERO LANDFILL CHALLENGE: Across the Zoo, we are trying to become a “Zero Landfill Institution.” -This requires us to look at all of our lunches in a different manner: We will have three buckets in each classroom- One- GREEN, one White & one Black. These buckets will collect our camper’s compost, recycling and landfill trash, respectively, each day. -To achieve this: I suggest after lunch is finished have each camper come up to the three buckets individually and you help them figure out what is compostable, recyclable or needs to stay in the landfill (By the second or third day of camp- the campers should be able to do this on their own).

-For each piece of their lunch that can be recycled or composted- Have the each camper “High Five the Earth” (Slap the ground). Let’s get kids excited about saving the planet!!!!!!!!




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-ASSIGN ONE OR SEVERAL CHILDREN EACH DAY TO BE THE “SUSTAINABILITY STEWARD” THESE CAMPERS WILL BE IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE THE LIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF AND ALL RECYCLABLE MATERIALS ARE PUT INTO THE CORRECT BINS!!***

Background: (VERY IMPORTANT) -When we meet up with Keepers & Trainers. It is important to impress upon the campers that animal training, especially with zoo animals doesn’t happen over night! -Friday you will be meeting up with Megan-Kate and it is important to let the campers know that the bonds she built with the animals here take years to develop and a lifetime to reinforce. It is nothing to take lightly. BUT we do want everyone to have fun and let the kids know that they can someday be a real animal whisperer! Here is how I would like you to describe Mary A., Eunice & Megan-Kate our super animal whisperers! The campers will be just animal whisperers at the end of camp. In order to rise to the level of super animal whisperer it takes a life time and a deep understanding of animal behavior and training techniques! Motivation: -Motivation is one of the most important concepts that every new trainer must learn, if they want to become an effective trainer. -Motivating an animal means creating an environment where an animal has a desire to perform a behavior. Animals, depending on the species can be motivated in several different ways: 1) By using food as a reward (The most affective) 2) By using toys or prey items as a reward 3) By physical touch Our Animals Whisperers: Megan-Kate & Mary A & Cecil Jackson Jr. This is how it is defined: -A person who has, the ability to relate to or connect with animals, using training tools and techniques: like a target, clicker & rewards! -This person must know what motivates the animal, what the animal is capable (behaviors) of and how to “speak the animals language (what rewards work).” -The Zoo staff has a couple animal whisperers. They know all about the animals they work with, what motivates them, what their favorite rewards are and how to get them to listen! -Tell the campers they can too be animal whisperers one day. They will be goat whisperers by the end of this camp! RULES- Review -Have the students remind you of them Vocabulary: Motivation- Some stimulus that entices one to do action Behavior- Anything an organism does involving action and response to stimulation

Animals have intelligence and the ability to learn!

We can’t teach them to do our homework but we can teach them

to eat our homework!



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Welcome/Review (10 minutes): Getting Ready -Nothing Doing the Activity -The Second day of camp--- Make sure the kids are comfortable and you have introduced yourself to each child and parent specifically as they entered. -Remember if you are happy the kids will follow suite. -Go around the circle and introduce yourself and ask the kids:

-If they think animals are intelligent? Maybe some of them changed their minds from the day before?!

-Review some of the specific information from yesterday’s topic. -Always try to tie it back to the training of animals that they will start today!! YAYAY. We understand that animals have the capacity to learn -In order for an animal to listen to me or you. We must find out what it likes! Wrapping UP -Animals are intelligent beings and many of them have the ability to learn and remember. -Today we are going to use that knowledge and translate it into training. Today’s Topic (15 min): Become an Animal Whisperer! Getting Ready -Posterboards -Markers Doing the Activity -In order to train an animal, that animal must listen to us! -But how do we get an animal to listen to us? They don’t speak English?! -How would I get you to listen to me? If I asked you run around the room like a gibbon? Or sing the national anthem on one leg (Show them how to move like a gibbon). -It is sort of embarrassing. -I am sure some kids will do, if you ask them. -Ask the class how many of you would run around the room like a gibbon? -For those students that didn’t raise their hands, ask them if they would do it if you gave them $1, or $10 or $100? -Money motivates many people both young and old -Ask the class to define motivation(see above) -But does it motivate animals? NO- Ask them if they have ever seen a black bear shopping at Kroger OR walking around the mall? -So how do we get animals to listen to us?

-Have the kids write on the poster board ways that may motivate an animal to do something. OR what they think will make animals want to listen to us?

Wrapping UP -Since we can’t ask an animal to behave in a certain way. -We must find a way to make the animal want to listen to us. -We must find what Motivates that animal



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Camper Whisperer before Animal Whisperer (30 min) Getting Ready -Behavior Cards: I-VI -Carpet Squares (6) -Rewards: Candy, animal Trading Cards, Zoo Posters, Fake Tattoos, Foam Insects -Chart I (See below) Doing the Activity -This activity will let the students see first hand what motivates them -It should also serve a way to discuss the connection between behaviors and motivations (See wrap up section)

-Some people/animals may not be motivated by the same things. Some may like a certain type of reward over another one (we are going to test that with this exercise)

-But all organisms are motivated by something -Split the group into 6 groups(2/group)- If there are less campers, then split them into even groups (Name each group: Group 1, 2, 3….) -The groups will correspond to the behavior cards -Therefore, if the group you select is group II, and the volunteer does the behavior on the behavior card II, then they will receive a reward specific to their group number (See Chart I) -Select one group and ask for a volunteer from that group Chart I Group Number Behavior Card Reward

#1 Give everyone in the class a

high five

Volunteer receives one piece of

candy

#2 Do five jumping jacks Volunteer receives animal

trading card (not a goat)

#3 Clap your hands seven times Volunteer receives a zoo poster

#4 Run in a circle around the room Volunteer receives one foam

insect

#5 Touch all four classroom walls Volunteer receives one

temporary tattoo

#6 Sit down and stand up three

times

Volunteer receives nothing

-Read a Behavior Card (I-V). Don’t read #6 yet because I want the student to see that there is a reward for volunteering and completing the requested behavior! -Tell the volunteer they don’t have to do the behavior that was read if they don’t want to. Or if they want they can do what was asked -If the volunteer does the requested behavior, then give them the corresponding reward (Chart I) -Now ask for a volunteer from a different group. Read the behavior card and reward the volunteer upon completion. -Continue to request a behavior and hand out the reward once the behavior was completed. Make sure to give out all of the 6 different rewards -At some point the campers will see that different groups receive different rewards for completing different behaviors -Ask if anyone would like to move to a different group? Pick a volunteer and ask why? Is it because that group gives out a cooler reward? -Once the campers volunteer to move to different groups- Then we can assume that they are motivated by whatever reward is at the corresponding group number.



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-Go through the activity several times, so the campers can get several different rewards -How many campers want to be in group VI? Probably not many if any! Most people and animals won’t do behaviors for too long without some type of reward! -The campers just demonstrated that they are likely motivated by different things. -This is just like animals! If we can figure out what an animal is motivated by then we can become an “Animal Whisperer!” We can talk to the animals and they will listen! -This is speaking the animals language! Wrapping UP -Once we find out what an person’s or animal’s motivations are, then we can use that knowledge to teach them certain behaviors -How many times have you said “I would do anything to get…. Whatever? -Since we already know animals are smart and have the ability to learn. We have to identify their motivations to make training possible. Animal Motivation (10 min): What makes an animal want to listen? Getting Ready -Poster Board -Markers Doing the Activity -Ask the kids what they think would motivate an animal? -Do you think they would be motivated by the same stuff we are? -Ask them what they think would motivate a dog, cat, rhino, hippo or goat? Brainstorm a list -Physical touch? Food? Water? Shelter? Chew Toys? -All of these maybe motivating rewards for an animal Wrapping Up -This information is foundational for training! We need to know what our animals want before we can ask them to do things for us. -Different animals are motivated by different things just like different campers were motivated by different rewards. Animal Encounters (20 min) Getting ready

Perch

Scratch

Mealworms

Cleo’s rewards


Stay seated

Be quiet



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Doing the activity Chicken -This is an opportunity for the campers to see which type of food is a better motivator for a chicken -This sets up for a perfect inquiry: -Start by introducing the two types of food: Chicken Scratch (which is just a grain mix) & Live mealworms -Explain to the class that the chicken as part of their diet gets both of these types of food -Prediction Time: Ask the campers which one they think the chicken will like more? Mealworms or Scratch?

-You can if you are brave, say I know which one I like. Then eat a mealworm and gross them all out!

-Once the campers have all made a prediction, then place the two food choices in the middle of the circle. -Then place the chicken equidistant from both food sources. -See what happens??? -Discuss what the campers think motivates the chicken? -If they were to train a chicken, which type of food would they pick for a reward?

-Explain it to them like….. If your parents ask you to clean your room and say they will give all the broccoli in the world if you do/….. Would you? -Or if they said they would give you chocolate cake or an xbox, new computer etc. for the same behavior. Which would motivate you more?!

Turaco -Cory or I will bring the turaco into the room. We have trained Cleo to fly from a perch to a trainers hand. -This is a good time to look at what motivates Cleo to fly around a room. -I can talk about the food that I give her and how this motivates her and she wouldn’t do these behaviors for just any treat -We will also talk about the three basic elements of training: 1) Target or Cue 2) Bridge 3) Reward Hike/Bathroom Break/(Snack—Optional—The Snack is the only part that is optional): (45 min) Children’s Zoo: Contact Yard- Goats What’s motivates the goats?! Getting Ready

Herbivore Pellets

Alfalfa

Radio

Pictures of Goats Doing the Activity -PRE-HIKE Brief discussion: Ask the campers to list what food items they think would motivate goats?



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-Have some fun with them and ask if they think some of the items that they were motivated by would be the same for the goats?! Probably not!

HIKE -Head down to the goat yard -Tell the campers that in order to train these animals to do behaviors that we ask, we need to find out motivates them -We are going to do an experiment to find out what motivates the goats more (just like the chicken inquiry). -Food is a major motivating factor for these guys -But what kind of food? -Our goats are fed a mix of Herbivore pellets & Alfalfa

-Try one of the herbivore pellets—The kids will be grossed out by it they are pretty bland (I have tried them before). Some kids may want to try to them, just make sure they don’t have any food allergies. -Do the kids have a preference between the herbivore pellets and the alfalfa? Do they think the goats will like one over the other?

-Let them make their predictions… -Now that the kids have made their predictions about which tasty treat the goats will prefer. -Have them form a circle around you, away from the contact yard -Now split the class into two groups: -One group will be the alfalfa people (Give that half of the class- a handful of alfalfa) -The other group will be the herbivore pellet people (Give them a handful of herbivore pellets) -Now, line them up, so that the first person in line will be a herbivore pellet person followed by an alfalfa person, followed by a herbivore pellet person, and so on. -Now let them approach the contact yard fence -Let the goats make the choice (Alfalfa Vs herbivore pellet) -After 1 minute- See which group has more food left in their hand? -Discuss what they think motivates the goats?? Wrap Up -Now that we know what motivates the goats- herbivore pellets -Later today we are going to train them!! Lunch Time/Rest Time/Movie Time (45 min): Getting Ready -Check Food Allergies Afternoon Topic: (20 min): Tools of Training Getting Ready -Pictures of the four trained goats (Pepper, Dipstick & Diablito) -Tennis Balls -Clickers -Treats- Candy -Materials to make their own “Target” & “Bridges”



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Doing the Activity -Talk to the campers about the three tools of the trade you have in your hand -The tennis ball ( it could be any object- we just use tennis balls because they are easy to hold and have a distinct shape and color) is the animals “Target” -The “Target” is the first communication to the animal that we have their motivation factor and that they are going to have to do behaviors to receive them -The clicker- this is called a “bridge”

-A “bridge” is something that tells the animal it did the correct behavior and soon a treat or reward will come to them

-So it bridges a behavior with a reward! -Lets practice this on ourselves before we start training the goats -Split the campers into groups (one with target, one with clicker/bridge and one with the reward) -It is also a good way to build a little technique. So we will practice some of the behaviors that the goats have already been taught that the campers will practice their technique -Select a volunteer- tell the volunteer that they will have to play the role of a goat -Then you will demonstrate what the trainer will do to get the “goat” to come:

-The trainer will stand at one end of the room holding the Target, Clicker (Bridge) & reward.

-The goat will stand near the trainer at first -The trainer should hold the target near the head of the “goat” As soon as the “goat” bumps the target. Then the trainer should click and give a candy reward

-Now move away from the “goat” a couple steps and wait until the goat moves a little closer and bumps the target, click and reward. As the distance between the “goat” and trainer grows have the trainer use a verbal command (like “come”) in addition to showing the target. -Do this a couple more times and then trade places with the “goat” -Let all the campers give it a try -We will play the “training game” a little later to reinforce the process -But I want everyone to get a chance to be a trainer and understand the order in which to present the target, bridge and reward to the campers -Remind the campers that they will be doing this exact sequence with the goats in the contact yard.

-Have the camper with the target and reward standing near eachother- to limit time between the animal hitting the target, animal hearing the click and animal receiving the reward.

Hike Contact Yard: Goat/Alpaca/Donkey Training Example & Bird House (55min): -Meet with Mary A or Paul S -Mary will do a demonstration using the tools of training and talk about how she started shaping the behaviors you see in the demo. -When the animals arrived at the zoo they were untrained. -We have already taught the barnyard animals 3 behaviors, some are a little better at them than others. You will find this out. But all of them should be able to do the “Come” command, and the “Up” command. The circle command is a little bit more difficult for some of the animals. -We have already trained 3 specific goats in the contact yard the 3 different behaviors



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-You will be using these same 3 goats each and everytime during the training sessions -If there is more than one section of 8-11yr. olds, separate and use the three goats. If you are the first class to train that day- please leave the separated goats in their pens. So the other class doesn’t come down and have to re-separate the goats

-I will have pictures of the goats that we have already started training -Then you will split the group into smaller groups of 3 or 4. Each child in the group will have a task to do -We will assign the tasks- One person will be the “Target”- they will hold the target

-One person will the “Bridge”- This person will click when the animal does what it is supposed to

-The Third and/or 4th person will be the reward and will feed the goat every time it receives a click -Have the group members switch so everyone gets a turn practicing each role. -Remind them that they are training!! How sweet! -Let the kids get used to using the “tools of the trade” and start to get a feel for training behaviors. -Make sure you ask if they have any questions because consistency is very important when reinforcing behaviors. -After all of the students have finished training their goats. Remind them that they will be teaching one of these goats a new behavior later on in the week Bird House- *Meet Ricky at 1pm!* -Now that the kids have some training knowledge -Its time to meet up with a keeper that does this stuff all the time and is actually the President of the “American Animal Behavior Society” -Ricky has been working here at the zoo for nearly two decades. -You will meet Ricky in the Australasia exhibit- He will be doing a little training on the rhinoceros hornbills -Be sure the kids ask some questions about the “tools of training” Recess Time (40 min) -Bring the campers outside or the theater(behind the education building- near Giraffe Ridge) Tools of the Trade (20 min) Getting Ready -Dowel rods -Foam sheets- for targets -Clickers -Markers -Stickers -Pipe cleaners -Sharpie markers- to mark clickers Doing the Activity -Now we are going to have the campers create their own unique “tools of the trade” -They can use these at home if they want to train other animals or little siblings



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-We will have to use the regular tools of training here at the Zoo as to not confuse our animals or give them something that they might be able to eat -Talk to the campers about, how the target should be designed. -You should keep in mind what type of animal you are training: Dogs don’t see color! Birds have very good eyesight

-The target that the campers create should have a very distinct shape (for those animals that can’t see in color)

-A square, circle or triangle -There shouldn’t be anything on the target that may distract the animal from doing the requested behavior.

-The clicker- is theirs to keep- You may want to give these out on Friday along with their award as an incentive for good behavior. -They will need to mark or write their name on it—You may want to do this -Remind them if they lose it then we can’t replace it. The bridge is probably the most important tool of the trade- as it tells the animal it is doing something correct -Be sure to have fun with this activity and remind the campers what animal they are creating the target for Wrapping Up -The tools of the trade are incredibly important to the training process -The campers will be equipped with knowledge and the tools of the trade by the end of the week Live Animal Demonstration (20 min) Getting Ready -Hand Sanitizer Doing the Activity -Not every animal in the zoo is trained, including many in our education collection. -While you talk about the animals- make sure you ask the campers what senses the animal uses the most- these are the senses that you would have to pique if you wanted to train the animal. -We won’t be able to show the campers different behaviors that we have taught them -But I would like you to ask the campers, what they think motivates the animal, what sense would the animal best respond too?—Do they find food by using their sense of smell or vision or hearing? -these questions are important to keep in mind when you are training zoo animals.

-These are some of the questions we must ask ourselves before we begin training- especially with a new animal

Three Banded Armadillo -The armadillo is really strange looking. -Although most armadillo species look like they have no hair, they do have wiry hairs on the sides and the belly. - Some people refer to the hairs as “curb feelers,” since armadillos can feel their way around an area at night as the hairs touch objects. The one thing that tells everyone they are looking at an armadillo is the roly-poly shell with "armored" bands. -The number of bands depends on the species.



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-Although the bands are tough like fingernails, the shell is flexible, with softer skin that expands and contracts between the bands. -Armadillos also have long claws for digging and foraging for food. -Their peg-shaped teeth crunch through the bodies of insects, an armadillo's favorite food. (their motivation!!) -There are 20 different species of armadillos. All are found in the Americas, and most live in Central or South America. -Only one armadillo species is found in the United States, the nine-banded armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus. -Typically, armadillos like wetlands with thick shade and sandy soil that is easy to dig in. But they are also found in thorn scrub, grasslands, and wooded areas. Armadillos burrow in grass, hollow logs, and sometimes underground. -An armadillo's hard shell is simply modified skin that serves as one way this unusual animal protects itself. -When an armadillo feels threatened, it usually runs, digs, and presses its body down in the dirt to keep from getting flipped over. -The three-banded armadillo is the only species that can roll up into a ball for protection: its teardrop-shaped head plate seals the opening so there are no chinks in the "armor." -Some threats to armadillos include domestic dogs, wild cats, birds of prey, and ocelots The three bands in the middle of the three-banded armadillo's shell have flexible skin in between each band. -The majority of armadillos are solitary most of the time. -They constantly travel looking for food and always try to avoid danger. Sometimes, when the weather is cold, armadillos will group together in burrows, often making a large nest of leaves with grass inside. -They are not good at staying warm on their own and really don’t seem to mind having others around.. -Armadillos are warm-blooded/endothermic, but because they have a lower body temperature, not much body fat, and thin shells, they cannot maintain their internal temperature as most mammals do. -This causes their behavior to change from season to season. For example, in hotter months, armadillos may be nocturnal, foraging at night when it is cooler and easy to move around. -When the weather gets cooler, the same armadillo may start foraging earlier in the day, becoming more diurnal. -Armadillos are considered insectivores and their closest relatives are sloths and anteaters. ---Although most of their diet is made up of insects and invertebrates, armadillos also eat fruit, eggs, and small animals. They have even been seen eating carrion -A sensitive nose helps armadillos sniff out tasty treats (Sense we would use when training!!). --If the food is underground, they use their long front claws to dig it up. -Armadillo pups are not born with the tough "armor plating." Wrap up -If the campers were to design a target for an armadillo- what would it look like? What would they use as reinforcement? How would they consider the animal’s natural abilities and natural history to inform their tools of the trade?

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/a-insects.html

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-two-toed_sloth.html

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-anteater.html



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Eastern Screech Owl In the Wild: The Eastern screech owl’s range is east of the Rockies from Mexico to Canada. It is found in a variety of wooded habitats, including orchards, urban backyards, suburban parks and gardens. Characteristics - Length: 8-10 inches, females tend to be larger than males; Weight: 6-7 ounces; Wingspan: 22 inches - Eastern screech owls come in one of two color morphs or phases (variations): reddish-brown or gray, with darker streaking and spots on the body. This camouflages the owls, helping them to blend in with the surrounding woodlands. - Males and females look alike, with yellow eyes, pale gray-green bills, toe feathers, ear tufts that are noticeable when raised, and have a descending trill vocalization. - Lifespan: In the Wild- up to 14 years (record) In Captivity- over 20 years Behaviors - The Eastern screech owl is nocturnal, being active from dusk to dawn, hunting mostly during the first 4hours of darkness. Small prey is swallowed whole; larger prey is torn into pieces. -Having one of the most diverse diets of any owl in North America, the screech owl will change to any suitable sized prey that is plentiful. -These owls are non-migratory and usually solitary. -When threatened, it will stretch its body and tighten its feathers in order to look like a branch to avoid detection. It will take flight when it knows it has been detected. -Males have a lower-pitched voice than females. Calls are made during courtship, when defending the nest, and by the young when hungry. They do not call while flying, unless alarmed. Did You Know?/Fun Facts -The genus for the Eastern screech owl was recently changed from Otus, differentiating it from Scops owls. - A screech owl can approach prey in silence due to a specially designed saw tooth tip on the forward edge of flight feathers. These tips help to deaden the sound of air through the owl’s wings. -An owl has 14 neck bones; these extra bones allow the owl to turn its head 270 degrees or ¾ of a circle. - Owls have a translucent third eyelid, or nictitating membrane, that keeps the eyeball clean and moist. - Owls’ eyes are placed in the middle of their face, giving them binocular vision, helping them to see more clearly. The large eyes and pupils are specially designed to let in extra light for seeing at night. - The saucer-shaped areas around the eyes are called facial disks. These disks help to enhance hearing by funneling sound into the ear openings. - Eastern screech owl pellets are medium-sized, averaging about 1.5 by 0.75 inches. They are compact, dark gray, ovals that are composed of fur, feathers, bones, teeth, and chitin. Two to four pellets are expelled per day. Wrapping Up -Remind the campers that animals are totally awesome!!!



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Hike: Train Goats (35min): -Bring the campers back down to the contact yard -Work on splitting the specific goats you want to train from the rest of the herd

-This will be somewhat difficult, so have the campers brainstorm a way you could all work together

-Who will be assigned to get one goat into the barn area? They will need the tools of the trade -Maybe you should assign several campers to this task and let the other campers distract the rest of the goats -This will be an adventure each and every time. But hopefully by the end of the week it will be a fluid process.

-Allow all the campers to get a chance to train their goat using the different tools of the trade -Still the split the campers into groups of 3 or 4campers and allow each one to use a tool of the trade

-Rotate each camper one through, so they get practice on each tool -Have each group train for about 10 minutes or until the goat loses interest Week’s Task (30 min): Getting Ready -Poster Board Markers -Goat Pictures/Bio’s Doing the Activity -Introduce the campers to their objectives for the week: Shaping behaviors and animal training -This activity should be a group brainstorming session about what potential behaviors they can teach their goats -This discussion is very important and you should try to spend a good amount of time discussing the details with the campers -Tell the campers that by the end of the week, they will have trained a goat to do several behaviors using the tools of trade -These behaviors must be something that a goat can physically do -It should also be safe for the animal to do Here are some examples of good behaviors to suggest: -Train to jump through a hoop -Train to weave in and out of a set of sticks -Train to jump on to a stump or log, or rock outcropping -Take suggestions from some of the campers (let them be creative) -Ask me if there are some behaviors that you think may be difficult to train and execute -Assign each group their own goat (Groups of 3 or4)- if there are friends put them together -Place the goat’s picture on a piece of poster board -Then place the 3 or 4 campers names under their goat -Then put up the suggestions of behaviors this goat may learn- what behaviors they want to try and shape. We are setting goals for the campers this week.

-Be sure what is written on the posterboard is feasible and accomplishable- We don’t want to discourage the young trainers

-Keep these posters up to remind the campers what their tasks are this week!!



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-Be sure to mention that they will demonstrate what they have learned and taught the goats during our 3rd annual Goat Show!! Wrapping Up -Try to give the campers a sense of empowerment, so they take this task seriously -In truth only a handful of ZOO employees get a chance to work this closely with zoo animals! -This should be taken seriously, and the camper’s behavior should be very good or they may have to miss out on some of the training. Dismissal (5 min): Getting Ready -Get the dismissal passes out and ready for any parents that going to be picking up campers -The parents need picture ID to get their child from camp -Be sure to keep the kids engaged during this time with discussion about their tasks or games, activities, etc. -Remind the parents that there will be a goat show on Friday at 10:15am in the Children’s Zoo and they are encouraged to come



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Day III- Behavior Basics






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-ASSIGN ONE OR SEVERAL CHILDREN EACH DAY TO BE THE “SUSTAINABILITY STEWARD” THESE CAMPERS WILL BE IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE THE LIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF AND ALL RECYCLABLE MATERIALS ARE PUT INTO THE CORRECT BINS!!*** Background: What is behavior? Behavior is a survival maneuver. It’s everything and anything an animal does to keep itself alive today and its genes alive tomorrow. Building a home, courting a mate, finding food, stalking prey, threatening an enemy, etc. The Basic Behaviors Locomotion- Animals have solved the problem of moving through every conceivable medium: air, water, soil, snow even volcanic ash. We have to look at an animals physical adaptations to inform our guesses about its behaviors. --Examples: Webbed feet, Wings, Opposable thumbs Locomotion can tell you a lot about an animal. It can tell you how it escapes from predators, where it may live. Feeding Styles- Herbivores can be identified by behaviors—often zebras, rhinos and other hoofstock will spend most of their time with their heads down and feeding from the ground. Carnivores and their physical adaptations such as claws teeth, sharp beaks and talons, can give insight into how an animal might hunt or capture prey. Innate OR Learned Behaviors innate behavior = behavior determined by the "hard-wiring" of the nervous system. It is usually inflexible, a given stimulus triggering a given response. A salamander raised away from water until long after its siblings begin swimming successfully will swim every bit as well as they the very first time it is placed in the water. Clearly this rather elaborate response is "built in" in the species and not something that must be acquired by practice. learned behavior = behavior that is modified by experience(e.g. Think about people and their ability to swim- we start by doggy paddling as we learn more we can master other strokes). Ethology is the scientific study of animal behavior -- particularly when that behavior occurs in the context of an animal's natural environment. Ethologists strive to observe, record, and analyze each species' behavioral repertoire in order to understand the roles of development, ecology, physiology, and evolution in shaping that behavior. Ethogram- Is a method of recording what an animal is doing (behavior) for a certain period of time Training/Shaping Behaviors (Nutshell)

Learning is the process through which experience changes an individual behavior. Just as humans learn in different ways, science has identified several ways animals learn. Obvious examples include learning through play and learning from others of the same species, known as social learning (A learned behavior).

**Ivan Pavlov made famous a type of learning known as classical conditioning. One of the best-known aspects of behavioral learning theory is classical conditioning. Discovered by Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov, classical conditioning is a learning

http://psychology.about.com/od/profilesofmajorthinkers/p/pavlov.htm



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process that occurs through associations between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occurring stimulus.

It's important to note that classical conditioning involves placing a neutral signal before a naturally (innate) occurring reflex. In Pavlov's classic experiment with dogs, the neutral signal was the sound of a tone and the naturally occurring reflex was salivating in response to food. By associating the neutral stimulus with the environmental stimulus (the presentation of food), the sound of the tone alone could produce the salivation response.

**Another method of learning is what is known as operant conditioning. This method says that the frequency of a behavior is determined by how it is reinforced. A behavior is likely to occur again if it is reinforced with something the animal wants, known as positive reinforcement (reward). An example would be a hawk sitting in the same tree (behavior) because it has frequently caught a mouse nearby (reinforcement). Catching mice reinforces the behavior of sitting in that tree. A behavior is not likely to occur again if it is reinforced with something the animal wants to avoid, negative reinforcement. An example would be a young coyote chasing a striped skunk (behavior), and then getting sprayed (reinforcement). Many animals learn through negative reinforcement not to get too close animals with black and white stripes.

Animal trainers use a combination of all these methods of learning to train animals. For example we may use classical conditioning to teach an animal to associate a certain noise or object with something the animal wants. Operant conditioning is the most often used method of training. Most animal trainers use only positive reinforcement (rewards) to train their animals. For example, we have all seen a dolphin jump through a hoop and then get a food reward from its trainer. The behaviors we see in animal shows are the final product. There are many steps leading to the behaviors we see in shows. The first step in training an animal would be to find-out the animal’s motivations—We have done that! Luckily, most animals are motivated by food. So food is a good reinforcement for training animals. For some animals (like a dog or cat), affection could also be used as reinforcement. Reinforcement can be anything the animal wants. Normally it is food motivated The next step would be to decide which behavior to train. A simple behavior is having a bird fly a distance from person to person. To get a bird to fly from one person to another, a trainer must break the behavior into small steps. The combination of these small steps will result in the final behavior of flying from person to person, a process known as shaping. Our campers will be shaping behaviors, those behaviors that they picked from Day II. Shaping -Dogs flipping, dolphins jumping through hoops or people throwing basketballs through hoops, for that matter, are developed by shaping. Shaping consists of taking a very small tendency in the right direction and shifting it, one small step at a time, toward an ultimate goal. If you are want to be a nerd, its called “successive approxiamation.”



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A first step in this behavior would be simply having the bird step from one person’s hand to another, with reinforcement (reward=food) immediately following each time. Once the bird is proficient, make the distance a little greater, so maybe the bird hops to each person. Keep moving the distance, reinforcing each flight, until you have the desired distance. It's fairly simple, but it is important not to reinforce behaviors that don’t lead to the desired behavior. For example, if the bird flew to the ground, make sure that it is not reinforced or the animal may think it is being rewarded for flying to the ground. This method of shaping behaviors allows for the trainer to communicate with the animal. Shaping a goats behavior: -The campers will being doing this, with the behaviors mentioned on day II. -For example, if one group of campers wanted to train their goat to weave through a row of sticks -First, they would have to put their target on one side of the first stick and ask the animal to come. Once it did they would click and reward -Then they would immediately move the target to the other side of the second stick, ask the goat to come, click and reward -Continue to do that until the goat has weaved through all the sticks -Now, start with the target on the second or third stick and ask the goat to come -If the goat weaves through the first and second stick and contacts your target click and reward! -Continue and move further down the course -You are shaping a behavior!!

RULES- Review -Have the students remind you of them Welcome/Review (10 minutes): Getting Ready -Nothing Doing the Activity -The Third day of camp--- Make sure the kids are comfortable and you have introduced yourself to each child and parent specifically as they entered, again. -Remember if you are happy the kids will follow suite. -Go around the circle and introduce yourself and ask the kids:

-If they think they know what motivates animals? Did they like their training experience yesterday?!

-Review some of the specific information from yesterday’s topic. -In order for an animal to listen to me or you. We must find out what it likes! Wrapping UP -Finding what motivates an animal will make training it very easy Today’s Topic (25 min): Behavior Basics- What’s a Behavior, Relay Race Getting Ready -Dry erase board



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-Dry erase markers -Descriptive picture cards -These cards will show animal doing behaviors, both innate and learned -Boxes titled innate and Learned Doing the Activity -The campers should have an idea of what a behavior is -Ask what the campers think a behavior is? -Write some of their ideas on the dry erase board -Define behavior- It’s everything and anything an animal does to keep itself alive today and its genes alive tomorrow. Building a home, courting a mate, finding food, stalking prey, threatening an enemy, walking, communicating, etc. -There are two main types of behaviors: -Innate & Learned -Define (see above) these and give examples. Innate- a fish knowing how to swim, us knowing how to breathe.

Learned- Bird flight, a tiger learning how to hunt (innately, a tiger knows to chase but catching and subduing is a skill-set that must be learned), a gorilla learning how to interact in their troop, us learning to walk

-Now split the group into two smaller groups -Give both groups a bunch of pictures, be sure they each have the same number of pictures -These pictures will be animals exhibiting innate and learned behaviors -Have groups line up behind their stack of pictures at one end of the room -Explain to them that they are going to do a relay race, but before they move to the other side of the room they must figure out, as a group, whether the picture is showing an innate or learned behavior. -Then the first person in line will have to do that behavior while moving to the other end of the room and placing the picture in the one of the boxes “innate” or “learned” (e.g.Bird hatchlings calling for mother to feed them (innate)- the camper would have to make a begging call)

-I don’t expect the campers to get many of these correct but I think it is a valuable learning opportunity and a little fun

-Have a walk through with each group separately so both groups understand what they have to do Wrapping Up

-There are certain behaviors that animals don’t have to learn they already know how to do.

However, there are other behaviors that they learn from their parents -When we train animals we are teaching them learned behaviors on command. Hike/Behavior Observation (45 min): Elephants or Sea Lions or Gibbon Island (Depending on if you are in Wolf Woods or the Education Center) “All animals are NOT created equal” Getting Ready -Ethograms -Pencils -Clipboards -Radio



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-Shell Game—Pebble and 3 Shells Doing the Activity Pre-Hike Discussion -Explain to the campers that we are going to record what behaviors the animals do -Many trainers will observe their animals to find to natural behaviors they exhibit and that can inform what behaviors to train

-Explain that each one of them will be in charge of collecting their own data about what one particular animal was doing at a certain time

-In order to record those behaviors each camper will have an ethogram (Defined above) -Explain once they are in front of the exhibit

-Each child will select one animal to watch very very closely (it’s like the pebble under the shell game – Where you move the shells around and stop and ask under which shell is the pebble) -Sometimes keeping an eye on the same animal the whole time can be difficult, when there are multiple animals in the same exhibit -If you want you can test the camper’s ability to keep their eye on an object before you go out.

-Play the shell game with the kids -Show them the ethogram and explain the behaviors that are listed and their abbreviations Hike Discussion -Once you arrive at the exhibit have each one of the kids find a place where they can see the animals in the exhibit—Tell them they should be comfortable -Now explain to them that every 15seconds, they will record a behavior that one of the animals is exhibiting. You will say out loud when they should record -Tell the campers to select an individual animal out of the group—This will be the animal that they must keep an eye on.

-Have them write down defining characteristics (For example, the elephants, Mai Thai has a shorter tail- compared to the other female elephants or Jati is very hairy and Schotzie is the biggest)

-Ask them if they have all selected the animal they are watching? Remind them that they have to watch this animal the entire time -Ask them if they are ready???????......... (You can make this task REALLY fun if you build suspense about what they are about to do) When you say go they will record the behavior that is being exhibited by their animal at that time -Then tell them to stop recording and wait until you say go again! Repeat until they have completed all the spaces Wrapping Up -Review the behaviors that recorded -Ask if they were learned behaviors or innate behaviors? -Did they do any behaviors that looked really cool? -Ask them if they were able to work with these animals would they like to make the animal do one of the recorded behaviors on command?! -This is how many trainers find behaviors that they can teach their animal to do -It is important to mention that when you are training an animal you can’t ask it to do something that it can’t do



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-When you return to the classroom, of course. -Have the campers list behaviors on a dry erase board they don’t think their goat could do -Swinging through the trees -Dunking a basketball -Playing an X-box -Have the kids name some….. This is a good goofy time for them to understand that we must first know what an animal is capable of before we can train that behavior. -How can we get it to do some of the behaviors that it is capable of???--- Shaping Behaviors The Training Game: Shaping Behaviors (35 min) Getting Ready -Candy- Jelly Beans -Clickers Doing the Activity -Discuss with the campers that since we have already taught our goats to come to a target -Then we should be able to use that trained behavior to make our animal do a different behavior that it hasn’t already learned -Explain to the students that what we have learned so far in camp (animal intelligence, motivation and behavior)will give us the ability to train one of our camp-mates!!! -Explain that the students can use no forms of human communication to train this behavior. Designate one student to be the trainer and one student the trainee. -Have the trainee leave the room, while the class decides on the behavior to be trained. For the first couple trials try simple things like sitting down, turning on a light, etc. As the students become familiar with the game, you can try more difficult and complicated behaviors. Explain to the trainer that at first they should reward anything that comes close to the behavior.

-For example, you want to train someone to sit in a chair, first reward the trainee for being close to the chair. Next, maybe the trainee touches the chair, reward that behavior. This response is known as shaping the behavior.

-Explain to the trainer that he or she must “click" before giving a reward. This is one way to “bridge” a correct behavior. -Animal trainers call this a bridge, because it allows the animal to immediately know what it did correctly.

-Example-- If you are trying to train a dog to sit using a reward. You’re working with the dog for a few minutes and it starts to sit down, but by the time you try and reward it for starting to sit, it is already doing something else. You just rewarded it for doing something else, not starting to sit. With a bridge, the animal knows immediately what it did is correct and deserves a reward. Instruct the trainer and trainee that the trainer will click which means the trainee has done something correct and should be rewarded. Use candy or jelly beans as a reward during the training sessions.

-Explain to the trainee that he or she cannot use any type of communication, expect the bridge. The trainee is to enter the classroom, perhaps start walking around, and that the trainer will start the process. -The trainer will shape the trainees actions into the desired behavior. In animal training, trainers want to see the final/desired behavior. -Trainers will break a complicated behavior down into smaller and very achievable behaviors, which eventually lead to the desired behavior.



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Breaking the desired behavior into smaller parts is the challenge for animal trainers. As the campers will find out very soon. -Have the trainer think about how he or she will break the behavior down so the trainee can succeed. -Remind the trainee that they will be rewarded for actions that eventually lead to the final behavior. -When the trainee gets rewarded for something, have them think about what it was they did. -Have the trainer applaud, once the trainee has learned the final behavior. -Rotate the trainer and the trainee so all the campers get a chance to participate Wrapping Up -Explain that they will soon be shaping a behavior with their goat -Also, mention that we didn’t use targets in the game but they will still use their target when working with the goats -Ask the campers how this applies to the shaping and training of their goats Lunch/Rest Time/Movie Time (40min) Friday Goat Show Overview- Giraffe Feed at 1:30pm/Ride- Train OR Carousel (40 min)- The animal feedings & Keeper talks don’t officially start until April 1st

-Could start to introduce what their “goat show” on Friday will look like. How they will be showing what behaviors they have taught the goats and maybe the chickens on Friday.

Goat Training (30 min) -Continue to work on the behaviors that the campers are shaping Recess Time (30 min) Animal Demonstrations: (20 min) TBA Our Zoo’s Training: (10 min) Getting Ready -DVD player -Training Video- Produced by Pat Story Doing the Activity -Now that the campers have an understanding of how we get animals to do certain behaviors here at the zoo -Now we are going to show a video of some of the behaviors that the animal keepers have taught their animals to do -These behaviors were taught to the animals for various reasons, some behaviors were taught because keepers have to perform certain examinations and procedures on animals. Most of the time the animals won’t cooperate and they don’t speak English…… So they had to use training to get the animals to behave in certain ways -Watch the videos and see some of the cool stuff our zoo animals have learned



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Wrapping Up -We are watching this video at the end of day because tomorrow, aside from training, we will focus on why animals are trained to do certain behaviors Meet with Linda C (50 minutes): Cat Show Yard -Radio her on channel One -The cat show will be doing a run at 3:15pm!! Sharp on March 27th -After the first week of camp- the Cheetah show will be on a normal schedule (Shows at 10am & Noon) Instructions: -Before you go on hike to Visit Linda C. (A true animal whisperers!) I would like you all to go over some points to make sure the kids don’t think they can jump in with any animal and train it.

****-Linda C- Has worked with 100’s of different species and taught them many different naturalistic behaviors. -The cheetahs she works with here at the zoo. She helped raise from birth. Literally she spent every waking hour with these animals to ensure a strong positive bond. -There are only a couple of people at the Zoo that can interact with these animals and she is one of them -If she had not built a strong relationship with the animal at first and continually reinforced the relationship. Then she would not be able to train the animals in a full contact environment! She would not be safe -I want you all to explain it like, “ these are wild animals they are not like our pets. The interaction she has with these animals is not learned over night. It is built with many hours, days, weeks, months and years. “

Dismissal



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Day IV- Zoo Training & Enrichment






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-ASSIGN ONE OR SEVERAL CHILDREN EACH DAY TO BE THE “SUSTAINABILITY STEWARD” THESE CAMPERS WILL BE IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE THE LIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF AND ALL RECYCLABLE MATERIALS ARE PUT INTO THE CORRECT BINS!!*** Background: Why do zoos train their animals? -The animals at the many Zoos are trained through positive reinforcement or operant conditioning. -Through training animals voluntarily participate in doctors' visits, allow general housekeeping in their area and work with keepers while getting a pedicure or shower. -Achieving these tasks through trained behaviors requires a devoted trainer, a well-prepared plan and a motivated "student." -The motivation can be food such as produce, bread or browse, or it can be tactile, such as brushing or scratching (Our goats love when you scratch them on the back). - Many animals are also motivated by the mental exercise and special attention during training sessions. -Training allows keepers and veterinarians to do their jobs more safely and easily. It also allows animals to receive the best care possible through their own willing involvement in the process. --While training is often used to perform husbandry tasks, it is also enriching for the animals. It provides a challenge for them and offers them the opportunity to earn a reward that they find worthwhile. Training is rapidly becoming a vital tool in animal care. Asian Elephant Trying to work with an 8,000 pound elephant is hard. Trying to see under its feet is even harder. Imagine having to lift one of those things! With proper training, keepers can ask the elephants to see under their feet, in their mouths and under their trunks, and the elephants are happy to oblige. Such a strong comfort level between elephant and keeper is helpful when the elephants go to "elephant yoga." Each elephant has a daily exercise regimen that includes stretches, leg lifts and sit-ups. And just as exercise helps us, these individualized work-out regimes help keep the elephants healthy and strong. It puts a whole new spin on personal trainer! Indian Rhino The Indian rhino, or unicorn , is one of the largest rhino species weighing around 4500lbs! Imagine asking it be still for an ultrasound procedure! Unlikely, however with training this is possible. While the vet is performing the ultrasound one keeper is rewarding the rhino, with its favorite type of food. Enrichment & Training -Animal training and enrichment go hand-in-hand here at all Zoos. Both have to do with an animal's behavior and how they act and react to different stimuli -With animal enrichment, keepers and educators create zoo environments that provide a stimulating life for our animals, with opportunities to engage in natural behavior, be more active and have more control over their environment. -Enrichment helps satisfy both the physical and psychological needs of animals and allows them to make choices. -Enrichment can come in many forms: altering the animal's physical environment, modifying animal care, creating social groupings and increasing sensory stimulation.

http://www.stlzoo.org/animals/abouttheanimals/mammals/elephants/asianelephant/



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-Animal training is another form of enrichment as well as an animal management technique. ----Through training by positive reinforcement, animals voluntarily participate in doctors' visits, allow general housekeeping in their area and work with keepers while getting a pedicure or shower. -This allows animals to receive the best care possible through their own willing involvement in the process, provides a challenge for them and offers the opportunity to earn a reward! Enrichment -Zoo visitors want to know that our animals have a stimulating life, with opportunities to engage in natural behaviors. -An enriched zoo environment does just that and is defined as one that is interesting, allows animals to perform natural behaviors, permits them to be more active and increases the animals' control over their environment. -Enrichment helps satisfy both the physical and psychological needs of animals and allows them to make choices. Thus, animal enrichment creates a win-win-win situation for the animals, visitors and keepers! -In the wild, animals must find food, defend territories, escape predators and build homes. In zoos, the majority of animals' needs are provided by the keepers, so other methods of physical and mental stimulation must be provided to encourage natural behaviors. -As much as possible, a zoo environment is designed to mimic an animal's natural environment. Animal enrichment for bears and primates, which in the wild spend much of their waking hours foraging for food, may involve scattering food in straw or elsewhere around the enclosure to increase foraging time. -Enriching an animal's environment comes in many forms, including altering the physical environment, modifying animal care, creating social groupings and increasing sensory stimulation. You may have seen our bears playing with boomer balls and our apes playing with plastic crates. These are examples of adding "furniture" for an animal to play with. Other examples of animals enrichment include:

providing live and artificial plants for shade and barriers creating vertical space using trees, ropes or rock work to increase and enhance living

space housing a variety of compatible animals from the same habitat together applying scents (spices, food, animal-lure, dung) around an exhibit simulating or using real prey items in predator exhibits to encourage stalk-and-chase

behaviors The Cincinnati Zoo Enrichment Committee oversees the enrichment programs which attempt to stimulate a species specific, naturalistic environmental, mental and physical stimulation, providing choices and a variety of opportunities for individuals and the interactions between individuals. The mission of the committee is to strive towards providing the animals in our care with an environment and activities that promote species-appropriate behavior and enhance individual well-being. Welcome/Review (10 minutes): Getting Ready -Nothing Doing the Activity



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-The Fourth day of camp--- Make sure the kids are comfortable and you have introduced yourself to each child and parent specifically as they entered, again. -Remember if you are happy the kids will follow suite. -Go around the circle and introduce yourself and ask the kids:

-Ask them if they are excited about shaping their chosen behavior to the goats today!!!??

-Review some of the specific information from yesterday’s topic. Wrapping UP -Understanding an animal’s behavior can give us insight into what behaviors we can train Early Hike: Elephant House Training Session done by Cecil Jackson Jr. 10am Today’s Topic: Training Committee- Role Play (30 min) Getting Ready -Pictures of Animals: Fishing Cat, Caracal, Asian Elephant, Snow Monkeys -Head Keeper Card, Curator Card, Animal Training Committee Card, Trainer Cards Doing the Activity Since the campers have become experts in animal intelligence, behavior and what motivates different animals -Now is the time to test their animal training instincts. -Assign what “title” each camper will be given and explain their role -Give them a little time to come up the training protocols for the different animals -Tell them they can come up with anything they can think of!!

-Whatever behavior they would love to see one of these animals do (Show them the pictures to jog their memory)

-Here at the Zoo before any animal can be trained, there is a regimented system in place to make sure the training protocol will not cause harm to any animal and that will be enriching to the animals life -First, keepers observe their animals; learn about their natural behaviors and social interactions if they live in group settings. -Sometimes they also talk to other zoos with the same animal species. In addition, they read papers and visit websites that have information on enrichment for specific animals. -The zoo keeper, then, completes a training protocol sheet and submits it to the Zoo’s Training Committee. -They either okay or deny the idea. If the idea is okayed, the idea then must receive approval by the Head Keeper, Curator, and Lead Trainer. Whew!

1. Today, the campers are going to be trainers, animal training committee members, head keepers and curators. The instructors will be the lead trainer.

2. Let each kid choose a card with a role written on it. There will be the following cards:

Head keeper card 1 Curator card 1 Lead Trainer 1 Animal Training committee members4



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Trainers 5 3. Once the roles have been assigned, ask the keepers to find their partner (there will

be 2 cat keepers, 2 elephant keepers, and 2 snow monkey keepers). They can then brainstorm ideas for training behaviors for the animals. The other kids, even though they are not presenting a potential training behavior right now, should also prepare a trained behavior because they will have to present after everyone switches roles.

4. Once the ideas and forms are done, set up a forum with tables and chairs, if possible, or arrange the room so that the animal training committee can sit together. Each group will present their idea and explain it. They can draw pictures or use props as well. Once the committee makes a ruling, it then goes to the Head Keeper, Curator and Lead Trainer. If the committee or keeper/curator have trouble with questions to ask, provide a list to them. They might include:

Can the animal physically do with behavior with the potential for serious injury?

Does the animal naturally exhibit this behavior in the wild? If the behavior was done it its exhibit would we have to add

anything to facilitate the behavior? What is the reward that the animal will receive for doing these

behaviors? Will training these behaviors cause the animal to gain lots of weight?

Will this behavior help management of this species?

5. After each pair of “keepers” have presented and their ideas accepted as is or rejected with suggestions for what to try to modify it, switch roles, and allow the “management” group to present their ideas.

Wrap UP -The campers are trainers and understand the basics of training and what animals are capable of. -This exercise give the campers an idea of what rules the zoo uses when training its animals. Train Goats- Continue Shaping the Desired Behavior (30 min) Live Animal Encounters (30 min): Getting Ready -Chinchilla Ball -Chinchilla Doing the Activity -The zoo has many animals and not tons of space. -Therefore the zoo has to think of ways for animals to get their exercise each and everyday to ensure that their lives are busy and pleasurable -One way is training! -Another way that is directly linked to training is called Enrichment! (See above for linkage between training and enrichment) -Much like training, enrichment is a stimulating activity which requires the animals to exhibit different behaviors



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-These behaviors are not cued like training however they could be on cue (e.g. have a gorilla climb up a tree (climbing = behavior), tree = enrichment -We will show the kids one type of enrichment we use with our animals here in the education department -This enrichment requires a large globe like ball (enrichment item) that the animals can fit into -This animal demonstration will allow you to show the campers an exercising type of enrichment for some of our animals -Place the chinchilla into the ball -Have the campers circle up and watch the animal get exercise, while discussing its adaptations Wrapping UP -Enrichment is critically important to the animals welfare here at the zoo. -If an animal doesn’t have a training protocol in place then the animal receives enrichment Bathroom Break/Snack/Hike –Camper Enrichment (60min) Getting Ready -Pencils -Enrichment booklets -Destinations--- Anywhere—Manatee, Jungle trails, Bear Line, Insect or Nocturnal House Doing the Activity -This hike will a little different because there is no true destination -Campers can select a couple different places they want to travel -The campers will have to identify any type of enrichment they see in the animals exhibits -Remember- enrichment will be found in all exhibits, some will be more obvious than others (if you don’t see any “enrichment items” then have the campers focus on the exhibit itself) -Ask questions to the campers about the different items they see—what behaviors are elicted by the enrichment items? -Could they train these behaviors without the enrichment items? I bet if they used training and found the animals motivation they could Wrapping UP -The zoo animals are well cared for and enriched in many ways both through training and through enrichment items Lunch/Break/Downtime/Watch a part of a video (40 minutes): -Check Food Allergies- Train Goats- Continue Shaping the Desired Behaviors(30 min) Animal Exhibit Design-Stage I (30 min) Getting Ready -Markers -Poster Board paper -Sticks, leaves, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks Doing the Activity -The campers will be making a 3D model of their exhibit later, right now they should draw their exhibit



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-This activity will let the campers design their own exhibit for an animal of their choice -There are a couple guidelines they must follow:

-This exhibit must include an area where the trainer can stand and give the animal commands for training (A platform, etc.) -The campers must include a target (which can be in the exhibit—For example, if they are making an exhibit for dolphins then a target could be hung from the ceiling with they have to touch with their nose—which would get them out of the water)

-The exhibit should also include one enrichment item -The time here is not enough to finish the Wrapping Up -Training, enrichment and exhibit design go hand in hand to make the best possible conditions for our animals here at the zoo Feed Lorikeets/Goats (20 min)- You may not be able to feed these birds as the Kea may still be in the flight cage. They were recently placed on an SSP and if the Kea are on eggs then the flight cage will NOT be open. -This is a great type of enrichment for these birds -Have the kids watch the behavior of the animals -Have the birds been trained? -When people walk in with treats, do they immediately come down to investigate? -You can explain to them that, people with food in their hands are the Target, landing on or near the people could be considered the bridge and the reward is the food Plan for Goat Show (40 min): -Have each group make a plan for who will be starting the show, introducing the stars of the show (the goat and the trainers). From this point have the campers answer the questions below so they can start to feel prepared for their big show on Friday! -The goat show will take at 10:15am on Friday. So you should pick which group goes first. - Which camper will start with the target, clicker and reward? - Who will have the target, clicker and reward after the switch? -Which behaviors they want to start with and what behavior they want to end with? -Do they want to come out of the barn and target the animal to the front of the contact yard for their introductions? -Also have the campers talk about how they get the goat back into the stall after their portion of the show is complete. (This proved to be difficult last year So work on this) -Any other questions the kids come up with. -You can go down to the contact yard and have them do a rehearsal of sorts or stay in the classroom and have them go through the motions. Recess Time (45 min) Animal Exhibit Design-Stage II (30 min) Getting Ready -Air dry clay -Sticks, leaves, stones, pipe cleaners -Play Doh



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Doing the Activity -Now it is time of the campers to turn their drawing into the real thing -If you need any other supplies let me know and I will try and get them for you Wrapping Up -The animals exhibit is very important to its happiness while living in captivity -There are many planning stages before we build an exhibit Live Animal Demonstrations (20 min)- These demos can be done in the theater. Rather than having get the animals from WWoods Ball Python Gopher Tortiose -Talk to the kids about where these animals live and what they eat -Reptiles are very hard to train because they are ectothermic and don’t have the same metabolic demands as an endotherm, which means they don’t have to eat everyday (Food is motivation). -This can make training difficult -So with many reptile species, we use enrichment as a way to get the animals to elicit natural behaviors without using a command -Some animals exhibit behaviors that keep an ecosystem together, such as digging -Ask the campers, after explaining the behavioral adapation of the gopher tortoise if they were to design an exhibit for this animal what would they include? Gopher Tortoise Information: "...Everything affecting the gopher tortoise's habitat affects the tortoise and...eventually affects all the other organisms in its ecosystem. Efforts to save the gopher tortoise are really a manifestation of our desire to preserve, intact, significant pieces of the biosphere. Even if the gopher tortoise could be assured survival in zoos and gopher farms, few of us would be satisfied. Organisms that exist in the absence of the natural systems of which they are a part are functionally extinct. and when man's care lapses they become truly extinct. I cannot imagine the sandylands without the gopher tortoise or the tortoise without its scrub habitats. They are one. In the end, we are one with them. ...We must preserve...the gopher tortoise and other species in similar predicaments, for if we do not, we lose a part of our humanity, a part of our habitat and ultimately part of our world." HISTORY Gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus)burrow into the earth, building homes for themselves and havens for many other animals. Along with scrub jays, burrowing owls, and short-tailed snakes, ancestors of gopher tortoises were a part of the savanna fauna that migrated millions of years ago into the southeastern United States. Gopher tortoises belong to a group of land tortoises that originated in western North America nearly 60 million years ago. At least 23 species of these tortoises are known to have existed on our continent since that time, but only four remain today. Three of the living tortoises (Xerobates agassizi, Xerobates berlanderi,and Gopherus falvomarginatus) are found in the western United states and northern Mexico. DISTRIBUTION Gopher tortoise populations are scattered throughout the coastal plain of the southeastern United States, with most being found in north-central Florida and southern Georgia. The species has been severely reduced in southern Alabama and Mississippi, southeastern Louisiana, southeastern South Carolina, and along Florida's southeast coast and throughout



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much of the Florida Panhandle. In Florida alone, gopher tortoise populations have dwindled to an estimated 30 percent of their original numbers. HABITAT Gopher tortoises, or "gophers" as they are commonly called, live in dry habitats, such as longleaf pine-scrub oak sandhills and clayhills, live oak and red oak hammocks, sand pine scrub, wire grass flatwoods, dry prairies, and coastal dune ecosystems. Tortoises can also live in some man-made environments, such as pastures, old fields and grassy roadsides. Three conditions are needed for healthy tortoise populations: well-drained sandy soils for digging burrows, sufficient low plant growth for food, and open, sunny areas for nesting. LIFE HISTORY Gopher tortoises feed mainly on low-growing plants that require abundant sunlight to grow well. Although wiregrass, broadleaf grasses and legumes are the most important foods, tortoises also eat gopher apples, pawpaws, blackberries, saw palmetto berries, and other fruits when available. A gopher tortoise's life revolves around its burrow, which can be up to 40 feet (12 meters) in length and 10 feet (3 meters) in depth. The tortoise digs its burrow with its shovel-like front legs. The width of the burrow is approximately the same as the tortoise's length, allowing the tortoise to turn around anywhere in its burrow. Gopher burrows are the lifeblood of dry, sandy uplands. Because these environments are desert-like, the burrows, which remain at fairly constant temperatures and high humidity throughout the year, provide an escape from the cold, heat and dryness for the gopher and other animals. They also act as refugia for other animals from the periodic, regenerative fires that occur in these scrubby, dry habitats. Tortoise burrows provide shelter for more than 360 species of animals, including indigo snakes, gopher frogs (Figure 4), Florida mice, skunks, opossums, rabbits , quail, armadillos , burrowing owls, snakes , lizards , frogs, toads, and many invertebrates. Many of these "commensals" use tortoise burrows to escape predators, adverse weather conditions, and fire; some cannot exist without the burrows. Gopher tortoises take a long time to mature. In northern Florida, female tortoises reach adulthood at 10 to 15 years of age, when the shell length is about nine inches (225-235 millimeters). Recent studies indicate that tortoises farther north require as much as 21 years to mature. At maturity, male tortoises can often be distinguished by the concavity of the plastron (lower shell). Tortoises normally mate during April and May. Several weeks after mating, female tortoises lay 3-15 eggs, usually in the sand mounds in from of their burrows or in some other, nearby sunny place. The incubation period of eggs varies from 70 to 90 days in Florida to more than 100 days in Georgia. A mature female generally produces one clutch of eggs annually. However, because of high losses of nests to predators, her eggs may actually survive as infrequently as once in every 10 years. Armadillos, raccoons, foxes, skunks, alligators, fire ants, and other predators destroy more than 80 percent of gopher tortoise nests. After hatching, young tortoises either live in their mother's burrow or dig a small tunnel near her burrow. Many hatchlings are eaten by predators. Once they are too big to be swallowed easily, other than man, dogs, raccoons, and possibly coyotes, and are thought to live in excess of 40 years.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/LyraEDISServlet?command=getScreenImage&oid=410457









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Dismissal- In the theater



Day V- Goat Show & Keeper Encounters



-At the end of each day- take the three buckets to the Zero Landfill Receptacles on the first or second floor of education



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-ALL DRINKS (ONE/DAY)- SHOULD BE REUSED AS A WATER BOTTLE—LABEL EACH CHILDS -ASSIGN ONE OR SEVERAL CHILDREN EACH DAY TO BE THE “SUSTAINABILITY STEWARD” THESE CAMPERS WILL BE IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE THE LIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF AND ALL RECYCLABLE MATERIALS ARE PUT INTO THE CORRECT BINS!!*** Welcome/Review (10 minutes): Getting Ready -Nothing Doing the Activity -The Final day of camp--- -Remember if you are happy the kids will follow suit. -Go around the circle and ask the campers some questions to review the camps topic: -Review some of the specific information from yesterday’s topic. -Ask them to review their goat show and start to get them excited about it!! Wrapping UP -Training is important to the operation of any zoo -Ask if they campers have ever seen the bird show or cat show? These are shows that the zoo puts on each year based on animal training! 3rd Annual Goat Show! -Start time is 10:15am -We will have the goats that are going to the trained behaviors in one stall and the other goats will be separated. -The entire yard will be emptied and cleaned. Today’s Topic: Overview (10 min) Getting Ready -Markers -Poster Board Doing the Activity -Today the campers are going to be visiting a whole bunch of keeper encounters (if after April 1st) and doing a goat show in the morning -These keeper encounters will be a great place to ask questions about training and enrichment -So we want to make sure that campers are prepared with good questions -If you are teaching a camp before April 1st your day will look a little different -Ask them what questions they would ask a keeper if they could ask anything at all -record some of these Camps Done Before April 1st -April 1st will be the first official day of our keeper encounter season For those camps that are before the scheduled keeper encounters. Friday will be a day to see parts of the zoo that the campers haven’t yet seen. Have the campers vote on two places they want to visit in the morning and two places they want to visit in the afternoon. -Have the campers come up with a couple questions on the places they are visiting if there are no keeper encounters and radio us with the questions and we will find them out.



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-Before each keeper encounter/hike destination—have each child write down 1 or 2 questions for the keepers about training or enrichment -Then ask a volunteer to read an example question out loud, you may want to screen some of the questions before the campers ask them out loud in public Wrapping Up -This day is an opportunity to speak with some of the experts about training and how enrich the lives of the animals that they keep Rehearsal Time (20 min) -Have the campers rehearse what they are doing for their show in about 30 minutes. -Make sure they have the order of the show and how they want to present it Goat Show!(60 min) Allow the kids to put on their goat show. We will record it and make a production of it! Keeper Encounter Schedule (Tentative)- -Depending on which week you are working. The “Keeper Encounter” schedule may not be finalized. I will keep you updated on exactly what will be going on. 10am: -Little Penguins- Children’s Zoo 10:30am: -Manatee Springs 11am: -Insect World -Gorilla World -Sumatran Rhino -Black Rhino Lunch/Break/Relax Time: (35 min) 12:45pm: -Giraffe Ridge -Reptile House Train Goats- (30 min)- -The show maybe over but to keep behaviors going. Trainers must work hard everyday to keep their animals on the ready. -Take pictures of the kids and goats!! Final farewell for now! 2pm: -Elephant Reserve*** Check this one out!!



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Recess Time (45 min) Live Animal Encounters (Frisch’s Theater-Before Dismissal) Hornbill Award Ceremony & Review of Week’s Accomplishments