Do you know what ocelots, grizzly bears, and giraffes graze on? After a trip to the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro our 4-H Junior Master Gardener Day Campers do. Day four of Junior Master Gardener Day Camp started very early so we could get to the zoo. Once there we split up into two groups and attack the zoo from the North America and the Africa side.
Now you might be wondering why would a bunch of gardening students go to the zoo? Of course we love wildlife and animals and are studying ecology and what is needed in different parts of the world (for example the polar bears care more about ice and fish while giraffes like green things to eat) for wildlife preservation. However the main reason we went is because the zoo is one of the best places to see a variety of live plants, native to all types of animals around the world. This type of variety and uniqueness of plants is hard to find in one place.
Kerrie Roach, Horticulture Extension Agent, and Shea Ann DeJarnette, 4-H Youth Development Extension Agent split the youth, teens and adult volunteers in half and started on separate sides. Kerrie’s group hit Africa first. There they saw flamingos, giraffes, and had a fabulous time watching the gorillas eat whatever they pick off the ground. Shea Ann’s group hit North America first where they saw alligators and pitcher plants (kind of like a venus fly trap plant but shaped like a pitcher), polar bears and not much vegetation, and played on a giant garden playground.
The two groups met in the middle at junction station for lunch and filled each other in on what they needed to see. Kerrie’s group talked about the gorillas and how funny they were. Shea Ann’s group talked about the dessert dome and the giant cacti and funny animals they found there. After lunch, the two groups switched sides and discovered all sorts of things in the new areas.
Kerrie’s group saw puffins and all the plant life that grows underwater for them to feed on, otters and how they like to nibble on all sorts of things, and don’t forget about the huge American frogs. The frogs were so big someone might even write a tall tale on a frog racing contest. Shea Ann’s group saw poisonous dart frogs along with a chocolate and banana trees. Baboons that were constantly grooming each other, and how could we forget the African plains were you can see gazelles, rhinos, elephants and other huge and neat animals.
At the end of walking almost five miles of terrain and trying to see everything there is to see in one visit (which by the way is about impossible), we met at the front of the North American side for a special treat. While our youth were enjoying ices, Kerrie and one of our volunteers, Mrs. Anna hit the gift shop for some special reminders of a great day. When we made it home everyone got a zoo pencil from Kerrie and Mrs. Anna was saving her surprise for tomorrow.
Speaking of tomorrow, it is going to be a very busy day. We have many activities to complete before we graduate and it is going to be a fun filled day of activities. We have to get in so many activities for our youth to get certified and tomorrow is the day. Stay tuned to our blog and 4-H Twitter page for the latest updates.
No comments:
Post a Comment