Alabama students will get to participate in a summer-long zoo camp starting Monday, June 5th at the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo in Gulf Shores.
Kids ranging from kindergarten to eighth grades will get to take part in 16 different programs relating to animals and conservation.
This is the first year that the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo will hold its first summer camp for eight weeks long. Past camps have been at the zoo’s previous facility and have only been one week.
Joel Hamilton, Executive Director at the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, said he is excited to teach a variety of topics to this year’s campers. He said the camp will be utilizing the zoo’s resources and giving the children a chance to see animals in a different perspective.
“They’re not going to just be sitting in a classroom the whole time. They're going to be out in the park itself,” said he. “Also, we'll be utilizing our guest engagement animals.”
Hamilton said campers will also be getting up close and personal to see the animals. “If they're talking about how snakes move, or how fast snakes move, they may have a chance to go up to the reptile house and observe Magic, our big yellow Anaconda,” he explained.
Along with teaching kids about animals and conservation, Hamilton said he hopes to inspire a new generation of zookeepers.
“You never know who the next zookeeper or field researcher is going to be, and we hope that we inspire some of these campers to follow into the same profession,” he said.
Hamilton said the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo Summer Zoo Camp is an opportunity for kids to get hands-on with education in a way that is different from an ordinary classroom.
“The goal is learning in a fun way. Learning a little bit more about their local zoo, learning a little bit more about the intrigue and excitement of animals themselves and learning a little bit more about the world around them,” he explained.
The zoo’s summer camp will be Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 3:30 p.m.
The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is a nonprofit organization. Hamilton said the camp is a way to generate revenue to fund the zoo throughout the year, but people who want to support the zoo can still visit the facility if they missed out on this year’s summer camp.
More information is available on the zoo’s website: https://www.alabamagulfcoastzoo.com/
