Education

Wild Earth Preschool is growing the next generation of wildlife ambassadors

Posted on December 21, 2018 by Chelsey

It’s been a WILD ride since August, when class was officially in session at the Wild Earth Preschool! As the only full-time nature-based preschool in South Dallas, this was a big deal for us. These pint-sized zoologists have truly proved how important incorporating nature into our kids’ lives really is.

“We want to grow the next generation of wildlife conservationists,” says Marti Copeland, Dallas Zoo Director of Education. “We want to guide children in early experiences in nature so that they can grow up to love and care.”

It hasn’t even been a full season yet, but just check out all the things we’ve accomplished:

  • Wild Earth Preschool is the only nature-based full-time preschool in South Dallas.
  • We’ve got one fully enrolled class for this year and interest lists forming for every season until 2021!
  • Our flexible schedule meets the needs of parents working both in and out of their homes.
  • Families from all over the Metroplex, from Oak Cliff to East Dallas and Arlington to Argyle, have made us their preschool-of-choice.
  • And we had some SERIOUSLY awesome developmental gains for our students, like:
    • Building an environmental-STEM vocabulary with words such as habitat, predator, compost, protection, shelter, larvae, life cycle, and more. The students are using these words in correct contexts unprompted.
    • Developing an empathetic, responsible, connected classroom family. Students learn self-regulation skills, conflict resolution, and have classroom jobs such as conservationist, gardener, navigator, librarian, and song-selector.
  • Our students are becoming Zoo and wildlife ambassadors, doing things like picking up discarded Zoo maps to recycle and even educating guests about our animals.

We couldn’t be more proud to help raise the next generation of wildlife conservationists though this special nature-themed preschool. Learn more about what we offer, and contact us for an enrollment meeting at: bit.ly/WEPreschool

Categories: Conservation, Education, Uncategorized, Wild Earth Preschool | Leave a comment

Students take talent to top photographer camp

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Jordan Doyle

The Zoo’s a great place for budding photographers (and experienced ones, too). Our Top Photographer summer camp gives children an opportunity to test out their wildlife photography skills in our 106-acre zoological park. Last month, a group of lucky student campers were trained by our expert staff photographer and given an up-close experience with animals. After two weeks of trekking through the Zoo and patiently waiting for just the right shot, here are some of our winning photos:

IMG_6022-Morgan
Top Photographer: Morgan
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Categories: Education, Photography, Uncategorized | Tags: , | Leave a comment

Dallas Zoo animals bring smiles to tiny hospital patients and beyond

Posted on June 14, 2018 by Destinie M. Berry

A small Children’s Health patient prepares to meet a Dallas Zoo animal ambassador penguin along with Outreach Supervisor Shannon College.

Whether it’s a tamandua high up in the sky at Reunion Tower or penguins at a Texas Rangers ballgame, you never quite know where the Dallas Zoo’s Animal Adventures outreach team will go next. With just seven staff members, the team carries out nearly 1,000 animal outreach programs a year across North Texas, bringing animal encounters to places like, schools, hospitals, businesses, convention centers, and many iconic Dallas locations.

When the small staff is not on the road, they’re tending to the needs of the 40 educational ambassador animals that delight, inspire and educate those attending an outreach experience. The job sounds demanding, however for Animal Adventures outreach team manager, Allyssa Leslie, the well-being of the ambassador animals remains top priority, “We work hard to ensure our animals feel safe and comfortable traveling with us. It’s great to see that when we go out to these events, the animals choose to come out with us because they know they’re safe and it’s interesting for them to go to new places.”

Despite all the variety this team experiences, some trips are so special that they’re repeated over and over again. Thanks to the Simmons Animal Safari program, and a treasured partnership with Children’s Health established in 2014, the outreach team returns to the hospital every few months to provide magical up-close animal encounters to small patients overcoming big obstacles.

The outreach team, including two-toed sloth Lola and African penguin duo, Sid and Jazz, arrive with the humble goal of encouraging smiles while gifting a special experience to those families who have more on their plate than planning a trip to the Zoo at this time.

Excitement filled the room as the children enjoyed the animals on stage.

“Even for the children that cannot physically come down to see the presentation, Children’s Health broadcasts the program into their rooms so they can enjoy it as well,” Leslie shares of the experience, “We are glad to be able to go out and hopefully bring some joy and fun memories for the patients and their families.”

Following the animal presentation, families are encouraged to come up close and commemorate the experience with a photo with an animal ambassador. Leslie watches on as the patients eagerly line up to have their moment at the front of the stage, “It’s so wonderful to see the excitement on the kids and their families’ faces when they get to see the animals so close!” she gushes.

At the close of the presentation, one last parting gift is revealed, each family is given tickets as a standing invitation to visit the Dallas Zoo. We look forward to many future visits to Children’s Health, bringing enjoyment to these extraordinary kids and their families with each animal encounter.

(Interested in hosting an Animal Adventures outreach program? Click here for more information.)

Categories: Education, Events, Penguins, Wild Encounters | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Arty for the Planet” art contest details!

Posted on April 5, 2018 by Jordan Doyle

Booker T. Washington students create animal-inspired chalk art at last year’s Arty for the Planet event.

When Earth Day rolls around, it’s a party at the Zoo! On April 21 and 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., our Lacerte Family Children’s Zoo is hosting Arty for the Planet. Guests can bust out ZOOmba moves with us; create upcycled musical instruments and jam; look at stunning wildlife conservation-themed chalk art by local art students; watch animals engage in art; and create your own nature-inspired art, too!

ART CONTEST

But before we kick off Earth Day celebrations, we’re inviting artists of all ages to submit an original art project using upcycled materials from April 14—18. Artwork will be judged on originality and use of upcycled materials in each age group by a panel of Dallas Zoo’s staff artists and the public.

Guests can enter into these four categories: ages 5 and under, ages 6-10, ages 11-17, and ages 18 and up. In each category, awards will be given for Peoples’ Choice (determined by Zoo-goers) and Experts’ Choice (determined by a panel of Zoo staff).

Submissions can be delivered to the Dallas Zoo Membership Services booth from April 14-18 during Zoo hours (9 a.m.-5 p.m.). Art will be on display in the Children’s Zoo for guests to vote on, and the winners will be announced and contacted on April 22. (Plus, we’ll share it on the Zoo’s Facebook page!) Winners of each category will receive a Family 4-pack of Dallas Zoo tickets. Good luck!

Categories: Children's Zoo (Lacerte Family), Education, Events | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Help Zoo Corps teens tackle urban wildlife issues

Posted on March 28, 2018 by Lydia

Dallas Zoo’s youth-led Zoo Corps conservation club guest-blogs on ZooHoo! Our teens worked together to select a conservation issue, develop a solution, and will put it into action on March 31!

Stop by the Zoo Saturday, March 31 to not only experience more than 2,000 animals, but to also help local teens and their wildlife conservation efforts! Right past the entrance, Zoo Corps will have booths set up for guests to participate in animal-themed activities to benefit urban wildlife. It’s a great family-friendly way to learn more about Texas’s environment and native species. Zoo visitors can make bird feeders from recycled materials; pledge to protect snakes; and decorate planters for native seedlings.

Zoo Corps is a teen-led Zoo conservation organization that strives to make a lasting impact on wildlife while engaging the community to take action. Our conservation issue is focused on birds, pollinators and snakes and how people can help these species in their backyards. These species serve a valuable role to humans and the ecosystem. For example, a single purple martin bird can eat 2,000 pesky mosquitoes a day; a scarlet tanager bird can eat 35 harmful gypsy moth larvae in a minute; snakes control rodent populations like nothing else can; and pollinators are vital for 75-percent of crops and flowering plants. Because these species help us out so much, it’s time we help them, too.

Songbirds suffer from loss of habitat and food sources because of human expansion and development. Building bird feeders is a simple way we can help provide them with sustenance. We can also make pledges to not use pesticides in our yards, and to leave snakes alone when we come across them. Snakes are a feared and misunderstood group of animals, but in reality, they fear us more than we should fear them. More people are actually killed by lightning in Texas than by venomous snake bites. Lastly, native pollinator populations continue to decline due to habitat degradation and loss. One easy step we can take is planting native plants to provide a safe migration route for monarch butterflies, and other critical pollinators.

These are easy steps to take, so come take them with Zoo Corps on March 31!

Categories: Conservation, Education | Tags: | 1 Comment

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