On Sunday, Feb. 8, the Moorpark College teaching zoo held a birthday party for the new male african lion, Ira. The event attracted many people from the community, Moorpark students and deans, board of trustees and the president.

“I’m so proud of all of the students and the people that work in the EATM program of what they’ve done and taking such good care of Ira and how adorable he is,” said Alisa German, Moorpark College’s Foundation Executive Director. “To have this zoo here, not even 15 minutes away, is amazing. My daughter loves it and gets to see the animals. I think it’s so important for kids to see animals and see how important they are and how to treat them.”

Even the EATM students are excited for the event. Cheyenne Ramirez, a first year EATM student, said that there were a lot more people there than she expected.

“Ira is so cute and it’s so awesome to watch him grow up. We got him before he got all his hair, and he was so small and now he’s so huge and his hair is so cute! Getting to see him grow up is a lifetime experience,” said Ramirez.

Ramirez has not work with the animals just yet, but said that this is the first semester that she will be able to work directly with the animals.

Kim Hoffmans, who is the dean of the EATM program, was also at the event. She said that, as the only zoo in Ventura county it’s fun to have all the community’s excitement, Ira has really helped bring more attention to the zoo.

“Ira has really given the zoo energy, it’s fun, we’ve been told many times that we are a secret to the community, that they don’t know about us. With bringing Ira in and the notoriety he has received I think that, in looking at the crowd, that people now know about us. and that’s very exciting,” said Hoffmans.

The zoo also had a new proposal set up for their carnivore section of the zoo that they wish to improve.

“I’ve been coming here for 20 years, and the improvements over the years is just incredible,” Dianne McKay, a member of the board of trustees for the Ventura County Community College District.

Mara Rodriguez, Instructional Technician and full-time classified staff member said that, once Ira learns how to roar, his roar will sound for 5 miles in the Moorpark community, signaling that he is ‘King of the Campus’.