The Exotic Animal Training and Management (EATM) Program at Moorpark College will host its 16th annual Spring Spectacular for three weekends starting March 18 and 19.
The Spring Spectacular features special performances and activities. Second-year students will present “Peter Pan and the Perils of the Pixie”, a 45-minute scripted animal show. “Eye to Eye”, a more intimate 15-minute animal show, will be performed on the smaller stage. First-year students will conduct Behind the Scenes tours of areas that are normally off limits to the public, such as the diet preparation area.
“This is a really great time to bring kids,” said Mara Rodriguez, Zoo Operations Instructional Lab Technician. “The diversity and variety of animals you’ll see up close and personal” is the best part of the Spring Spectacular.
Animal education companies, including the Wildlife Way Station, Zoo to You, The Animal Guys, and Birds and Animals Unlimited, will present educational programs called “Creature Features”.
“This is the biggest event we do all year,” said Holly Tumas, Zoo Operations Assistant.
Second-year students have been working very hard on “Peter Pan and the Perils of the Pixie”, said Brenda Woodhouse, Department Chair of the EATM Program. They wrote the script, trained the animals, and created the scenery and props. “They started preparing for the show last fall,” said Woodhouse.
The EATM Program, also known as America’s Teaching Zoo, was established in 1974. It is a competitive 2-year program that usually receives about 200 applications for 50 available spaces. EATM students are required to work at the Zoo long days and weekends, caring for the animals and attending classes. EATM graduates currently work at facilities such as the San Diego Zoo, Animal Actors of Hollywood, Sea World, Universal Studios, and Guide Dogs for the Blind.
“The EATM Program has an operating budget of close to $200,000,” said Rodriguez. “A very small percentage comes from the [Community College] District, and the rest we raise here on our own.” The goal every year is to raise $30,000 at the Spring Spectacular, said Rodriguez.
During the Spring Spectacular, America’s Teaching Zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission is $8 for adults and $5 for children and seniors. There is an extra $5 fee for Behind the Scenes tours. The event begins March 18 and 19, continues March 25 and 26, and concludes April 1 and 2. “Peter Pan and the Perils of the Pixie” will be presented at 10:15 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. daily. During the rest of the year, the Zoo is open to the public every weekend from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission is $5 for adults and $4 for children and seniors. For more information, call (805) 378-1441.
