Montgomery Catholic’s middle school students were treated to
an afternoon with the zoo without having to leave campus. Valerie Castanza,
Danielle Crowe, and their team from the Montgomery Zoo brought some furry,
feathered, and scaly critters to teach the students about the natural habitats
and behaviors of different animals. The kids got to meet some animals that are
native to Alabama—Desoto, a gopher tortoise; Helena, a great horned owl; Rusti,
a screech owl; and Phoenix, a red-tailed hawk. These are all animals that could
be seen in the wild in the Southeastern United States, and unfortunately,
several of them have made their way into the care of the zoo because of
injuries sustained from encounters with humans. The zoo crew also brought some
friends from Down Under: Kook, a blue kookaburra, and Anala, a dingo. Both animals
are natives of Australia and are a unique sight for those of us in the US.
While it was a fun presentation, the students also learned
about the impact that humans have on our animal friends through the use of
pesticides, littering, and improper care of pets. They learned a lot about the
personal stories of each one of the animal ambassadors and ways they can help
with the zoo through the Zooteen program. The variety of animals was truly a delight for
the students, and they had a wonderful time learning about each one.
