Program Animal Policies

Transcription

1 Program Animal Policies Interactive Animal Exhibits John Ball Zoo Revised

2 Table of Contents John Ball Zoo s Philosophy Statement on the Use of Live Animals in Education Programs... 3 Philosophical Guidelines... 4 Interactive Animal Exhibits Training Process... 6 Stingray Lagoon Exhibit Protocols... 6 Red s Hobby Farm Corral Protocols... 8 Pygmy Goat Corral Protocols Budgie Aviary Protocols Wallaby Walkthrough Protocols Camel Ride Experience Protocols Aquarium Behind-the-Scenes Touch Tank Interactive Animal Exhibits -Guest Food Policy Animal Stress Animal Bites Receipt of Program Animal Policies

3 John Ball Zoo s Philosophy Statement on the Use of Live Animals in Education Programs Our animal handling philosophy is rooted in the Zoo s mission, to inspire people to be active participants in the conservation of wildlife and our natural environment. It can be summed up in one word, RESPECT R espect: Our actions are guided by a fundamental respect for these ambassadors of the animal kingdom E ducational: Presentations will be educational and informative S afe: P repared: The welfare of animals and humans must be paramount at all times; safety protocols are in place and will be adhered to by all staff, volunteers, and program participants. Only qualified people who demonstrate proficiency during our training program are allowed to handle animals or facilitate the interaction with program animals. E valuation: A system for evaluation will be administered to ensure animal handling procedures and standards are followed and achieved C onservation: Presentations will articulate a conservation message that strives to inspire people to participate in the conservation of wildlife and our natural environment. T eam: A team approach devoted to the welfare of every animal unites us (keepers, volunteers, education, managers, maintenance and grounds, etc) 3

4 Philosophical Guidelines on the Use of Live Animals for Education Adapted from Audubon Nature Institute training materials The use of live animals for Zoo Education must at all times be in accordance with the John Ball Zoo s Mission Statement and the Ethics and Standards of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The ability to handle live animals in educational programming is a special privilege. Many zoos either do not use animals out of their exhibits or restrict animal handling to select staff. As valuable extra eyes, ears, and voices, you are also a vital link between guests, the Zoo, and its collection. The role of the animal handler/interpreter is a crucial one. Handling the animals and delivering information is only the tip of the iceberg. Our goal is to inspire all who interact with us and the collection to feel, think, see and act in support of wildlife and our natural world. To do this effectively, we must be aware of philosophical issues and the impact we have on others through our actions as interpreters. 1. In every presentation, there is both a CONSCIOUS and an UNCONSCIOUS message being SENT and RECEIVED. Our actions speak louder than words. If our actions are at odds with our message, they will over power it. For example: You are trying to impress upon the audience the uniqueness of a parrot and the danger to wild populations from the pet trade. Though your words are clear, as you speak you stop to coo and give the parrot a little scratch behind the neck. What will the visitor learn from this experience? 2. Humans have an overwhelming tendency to anthropomorphize. This is the tendency to see human appearance, motivations, or emotions in animals. It is unfortunate because it obscures accurate observation and appreciation of the animals as they really are. For example: The monkeys are grinning at us! Let s be sure to smile back at them. Look at those shark jaws! What a mean, nasty character! That tiger must be very unhappy living all alone. These are all examples of anthropomorphism. Recognize it, guard against the tendency and gently correct and clarify it in your presentations. 3. People have a strong desire to interact with the animals. In their attempts to get the animals to respond to them personally, they may take inappropriate actions. They want to whistle, clap, howl, pound, jingle keys, etc. to get the animal to react to them. Use their enthusiasm positively and channel it to good end. For example: a child is tapping on the glass of a snake exhibit. You could explain how the snake hears vibrations, why reptiles move about so infrequently, or why, for the animal s welfare, it should not be disturbed while resting at home. 4. The animals in the Zoo serve as ambassadors for their species and for the living systems of which they are a part. 4

5 Although many visitor questions will focus on the individual animal, or perhaps even the individual species, our goal is to build an appreciation and understanding for the species through a connection with the individuals at the zoo. Do not lose sight of the big picture amidst questions like Is it a boy or a girl?, How old is he?, What s it s name? We re here to build a connection between the animal they can see and the species it represents. Beyond the individual species, we need to build the connection of all living things. One of the most delightful and integral concepts to teach is the interdependence of living things, the Web of Life. 5. You must always be clear which are your own opinions and state them as such. At all times, be sensitive to the values of your audience, we do not have the right to impose our values on others. Present all sides of controversial issues. By making people aware of consequences of human actions, you may influence others. However, you must never preach your values to them. For example: You are presenting an owl that is a gunshot victim. You don t like hunting so you expound on the evil hunters who must have shot this bird, thus offending every sportsman within earshot, and losing credibility as well. You could have instead reported that the owl was injured in the wild. If you were question to provide more information about the nature of its injuries, you could then use questioning strategies to bring guests to the conclusion that hunting helps manage wild populations of animals but when done improperly, can injure wildlife. 6. The animal s welfare is foremost. This means animals may be unavailable for education use or promotional purposes so be it. It is sometimes necessary to explain why we don t use 10 animals in a handling presentation, or send a monkey on a Traveling Zoo, or why the adorable baby snow leopard can t be seen up close in a nursery display. Most guests really are concerned for the animals welfare, they simply need insight a big reason the Zoo needs you! 7. As horse trainers are fond of saying, every time you handle an animal, you re either TRAINING or UNTRAINING it. Please be aware and careful of your interactions with every animal you handle. It is important to present yourself to the public in a friendly, courteous, and responsible manner. Remember that you are representing John Ball Zoo! Interactive Animal Exhibits The following is the list of animals/exhibits in the zoo where guests are able to physically interact with animals while they are inside their enclosure: Red s Hobby Farm Corral Africa Pygmy Goat Corral Wallaby Walkthrough Budgie Aviary Stingray Lagoon Camel Rides Aquarium Behind-the-Scenes Tours 5

6 Interactive Animal Exhibits Training Process Paid and Unpaid Staff facilitating interpretive experiences at our Interactive Animal Exhibits are trained by Zoo Education staff in the following areas: Interpretation techniques & practices Biology and conservation of each species Proper handling techniques Facilitation of proper handling technique with our guests Signs of animal stress Guest Relations Stingray Lagoon Exhibit Protocols We maintain an interactive touch pool at the Stingray Lagoon with the following animals: cownose rays and white-spotted bamboo sharks. The following are the protocols that should be followed by staff facilitating this interactive exhibit. The interpretation at this exhibit should follow the interpretive program description for this exhibit. 1. Facilitate a safe Guest Experience a. To prevent harm to both animals and guests, staff is physically present to monitor the area while the zoo is open. b. Maintain a roped barrier around the exhibit. Stanchions around the exhibit should always be up with ropes that are untangled, not touching the ground, and fairly taut. i. Only paying guests are to enter the roped area. It is $1 to enter whether the guest wishes to touch or not (discounted rate for members). This also applies to guests who just want to take pictures. Unless they pay the fee, they must take their pictures from outside the ropes. If it is NOT BUSY, feel free to offer to take the photo for the guest from your area. Use your best judgment. We want to ensure we have great customer service! c. Provide clear instructions for guests. i. Interpreters should use wireless microphone headsets for interpretation and to give directions to guests. Please test it before opening the lagoon. This microphone should always be clipped to the pants or stored in the pocket of the person using it to avoid accidental damage. ii. When there are less than 15 guests in the lagoon (or when the volume in the exhibit area allows it), interpretation can occur without the microphone. d. Make sure the exhibit has a zoo radio all day for direct communication to other staff. i. Those staff or volunteers not on the microphone have the responsibility of holding the zoo radio. 2. Maintain a clean environment and experience for the animals and guests a. A hand rinse station is located at entrance/exit of encounter for rinsing of hands before and after touching the animals. b. Guests should be informed to rinse their arms up to their elbows prior to entering the lagoon. c. Advise guests to roll up their sleeves and tie back long hair so that when reaching into the tank, shirts and hair do not go in the water. d. A rest room facility is located within 100 feet of the area. 6

7 3. Ensure guests use proper touching technique with rays and sharks a. Guests in the Stingray Lagoon are able to touch the stingrays but should only do so in the manner instructed by JBZ staff. b. The proper touching technique is to lay a hand out flat, place it into the water, and leave it there until a ray or shark swims by. c. Rays or sharks should never be grabbed or lifted, nor should guests make large movements in or splash the water. d. Guests exhibiting behavior inconsistent with JBZ staff instructions or that which might harm the animals may be asked to leave the lagoon area. 4. Monitor the number of people in the lagoon area a. To keep guests moving through the lagoon while continuing to provide them with an enjoyable, educational experience, you can use a statement such as, If you have had the opportunity to touch our stingrays, we encourage you to experience some of our other great exhibits. b. Capacity in this space is approximately people. Use your judgment but each person in the lagoon should be able to reach into the pool, not having to wait behind others. i. Please communicate to the Experiences staff admitting guests when the area is at capacity and when more guests can be let into the lagoon. 5. Facilitate feeding of rays by guests a. Public feeding the stingrays occurs 3 times a day, and it is $1 per feed cup (discounted rate for members). Proper method for feeding is to have one piece of food pinched between the fingers in a flat open hand with palm facing up. This position allows the stingrays to swim up and suck the food into their mouths located on their bellies. The following is NOT permitted during feeding times: i. Guests holding food in any other method than what was just listed. ii. Feeding the sharks (keeper staff will feed the sharks by target training). iii. Teasing stingrays by not letting go of food, or lifting hands out of water continuously. b. Children typically have the most difficult time feeding the stingrays; go the extra mile by providing hands-on assistance & guidance so they have a great experience. 6. Animal Exposure and Rotation/Replacement Policy a. The tank is open in the summer from 9 am to 6 pm, during special events and closed during the winter. b. The tank is set up as a contact area. Feeding by the public is also allowed several times a day during the summer. The touch area is set up such that the guests have access to the animals on approximately half of the tank. The other half and middle of the tank is used for the animals rest area. The animals themselves determine how much time they spend being touched by the public. c. During the winter the animals are moved from the outdoor pool into the indoor holding pool. d. Water quality is monitored in accordance with our water quality monitoring program in place for all aquarium systems in the zoo. e. If concerns arise regarding the animals well-being or exhibit functions (including a Code 1 stingray ), please contact the 900 stingray keeper staff by radio. If they are unable to be reached, please contact the Education Department Manager or Lead Interpreter on duty. 7

8 Red s Hobby Farm Corral Protocols We maintain an interactive area in Red s Hobby Farm with the following animals: several species of goats, sheep, and chickens. We occasionally have cows and pigs. Staff are available in both the corral and in the lower barn. The interpretation at this exhibit should follow the interpretive program description for this exhibit. The following are the protocols that should be followed by staff facilitating this interactive. 1. Facilitate a safe Guest Experience a. To prevent harm to both animals and guests, staff is physically present in each area while it is open to guests and to facilitate interactions between guests and the animals. b. Welcome guests to the hobby farm. Don t just stand back and watch. Encourage guests to observe and interact appropriately with the animals. c. Make sure the exhibit has a zoo radio all day for direct communication to other staff. 2. Corral: Observe animal/guest interactions for safety of guests and animals a. Closely observe and facilitate interactions between guests and the animals to make sure neither the animals nor the guests are harmed in any way. i. If an animal is behaving in a manner that might injure a guest (biting, kicking, being aggressive, etc.), please intervene to eliminate guest interaction with the animal, and then notify 900 Red Barn Keeper immediately using the radio. The keepers can help properly get the animal into a stall in the barn. b. Guests are allowed to touch free roaming chickens as long as the chicken lets them. They can't pick them up or chase them. c. Please inform the guests that they are welcome to touch the animals gently. However, no one is allowed to pick up the animals! d. Monitor for inappropriate guest behavior (i.e. no food, drinks, pacifiers, baby bottles, strollers in the corral; shoes required for all guests; animals eating maps; guests riding animals; rough interaction with animals in the corral; etc.) e. Instruct guests how to properly use the brushes to groom the animals in the corral. This should be done with an appropriate amount of pressure from head to tail and not on an animal s face. i. Do not allow guest to dip brushes in water to use on animals 3. Lower barn: Observe animal/guest interactions for safety of guests and animals a. It is okay if guests touch the animals but they should be aware that the stall is a rest location for the animals. b. Monitor for inappropriate behavior between guest and animals (i.e. no food or drinks given to the animals, animals eating maps, aggressive animal behavior, etc.) c. Gates prevent guests from going up the stairs or out the back doors to behind Red Barn as both areas are for staff and volunteers only. 4. Maintain a clean environment and experience for the animals and guests: a. Remove fecal matter from the corral throughout your shift using the rakes and pans provided. There are little rakes that you can get out if you are comfortable asking kids to help you clean up. Once you ve raked fecal matter into a pan, place it in the compost container just inside the door leading from the corral into the barn. Please leave compost lid closed so chickens are discouraged from climbing in. b. Level sand/gravel as needed in the corral throughout corral duty c. Engage children; they can help you clean using appropriately sized tools in a safe manner d. Encourage guests to wash their hands with the sanitizer upon exit of the corral. 8

9 i. In addition to hand sanitizer, encourage guests to wash their hands with soap and water prior to eating. ii. Check the hand sanitizer outside the corral regularly and restock it as necessary sanitizer is stored just inside the door to the upstairs barn on a shelf. e. There is a rest room within 100 feet of this exhibit next to the Whistlestop café. 5. Closely monitor exits and entrances to prevent unintentional exit of an animal or entrance by an individual that should not be permitted a. If you find yourself in a situation where an animal is stuck between the two doors in doubledoor entry/exit, simply ask guests to wait to enter until you have safely moved the animal back into the exhibit. b. If an animal were to escape, please follow the animal escape procedures by immediately calling a Code 1 Red Barn corral using your radio. c. If you need to encourage an animal near the entrance/exit doors to go to another area of the corral, you should gently nudge/guide it away from the doors. You should not pick up the goats or sheep in the corral. d. The Red Barn Keeper will have let the animals out into the corral earlier that morning. The gates for the corral will still have the locks on them but will not be locked. Remove the padlocks and store inside the barn. There is a place to hang them inside and to the left of the door with other padlocks. Please do not lock them. e. At the end of the day or if for some reason the corral closes early due to severe weather, be sure to lock both the outer entrance and exit doors with padlocks. The locks will be hanging just inside the barn doors to the left with the other padlocks for the area. They are the smaller padlocks. 6. Animal Exposure and Rotation/Replacement Policy a. Animals in the hobby farm corral are able to enter their rest area within the corral at any time. b. The area inside the barn is an additional rest area for the barn animals. Guests are able to interact with them should the animals choose to allow it. c. The farm animals are divided into two groups. These groups typically spend half their day outside and half their day inside. They are shifted between the spaces at ~1:30 each day. While animals are being shifted between the corral and the inside of the lower barn, guests are not allowed in the barn or the corral. It will be the duty of the interpreters in the barn area to engage with guests about why they cannot be in these spaces while this is happening. The animals are often excited about going in or out of the barn. We don t want children to be in the way of the animals as they come in or out. d. If an animal in the corral is acting abnormally, showing signs of stress, or injury, an animal department staff member should be immediately contacted over the radio ( 900 Red Barn Keeper ) for assistance. This needs to be done as soon as you notice a problem since some sickness spreads rapidly, or any other condition can worsen quickly. e. The decision may be made to move that animal inside the barn or shut down the area temporarily. f. The corral is open in the summer while the zoo is open from 9:00 am 6:00 pm. There are times when the corral is open for after-hours events from 6:00-8:00 pm. g. The lower barn is open when staffing levels permit. h. Chickens are free to roam the hobby farm. Guests are allowed to touch them but not pick them up. If chickens do not want contact with people they can move into areas where the guests are not allowed. 9

10 Pygmy Goat Corral Protocols We maintain a smaller petting corral in the African area that contains dwarf pygmy goats. The following are the protocols that should be followed by staff facilitating this interactive exhibit. The interpretation at this exhibit should follow the interpretive program description for this exhibit. 1. Facilitate a safe Guest Experience a. To prevent harm to both animals and guests, staff is physically present to monitor the area while the zoo is open and animals are in the corral (not in their holding barn) and to facilitate interactions between guests and the animals b. Please inform the guests that they are welcome to touch the goats gently. However, guests are not allowed to pick up the goats! Make sure the exhibit has a zoo radio all day for direct communication to other staff. 2. Closely monitor the entrance/exit to prevent unintentional exit of an animal or entrance by an individual that should not be permitted a. If you find yourself in a situation where a goat is stuck between the two doors in double-door entry/exit, simply ask guests to wait to enter until you have safely moved the goat back into the exhibit. b. If a goat were to escape, please follow the animal escape procedures by immediately calling a Code 1 pygmy goat corral using your radio. c. If you need to encourage a goat near the entrance/exit doors to go to another area of the corral, you should gently nudge/guide it away from the doors. You should not pick up the goats. 3. Maintain a clean environment and experience for the animals and guests a. Clean up any fecal matter on ground with provided sweep brush and scoop. b. Encourage guests to wash their hands with the sanitizer upon exit of the corral. i. In addition to hand sanitizer, encourage guests to wash their hands with soap and water prior to eating. ii. Check the hand sanitizer outside the corral regularly and restock it as necessary. c. A rest room is located within 100 feet of this exhibit across from the Chimpanzee exhibit. 4. For closing the Pygmy Goat Corral a. Wait for a keeper staff to close and lock up the corral. b. Please return radio to the office at the end of the day. 5. Animal Exposure and Rotation/Replacement Policy a. This exhibit will be closed to guests for 10 minutes each hour of the time while the zoo is open. i. The 10 minutes of each hour will be determined by the staff members working the exhibit so as to align it with guest volume at the exhibit in the most appropriate manner. b. If a goat is acting abnormally, showing signs of stress, or injury, an animal department staff member should be immediately contacted over the radio ( 900 Pygmy Goat Keeper ) for assistance. This needs to be done as soon as you notice a problem since some sickness spreads rapidly, or any other condition can worsen quickly. i. The decision may be made to move that animal to another location, allow it to enter into its holding barn, or shut down the area temporarily. 10

11 c. This exhibit is open in the summer while the zoo is open from 9:00 am 6:00 pm. There are times when the corral is open for after-hours events from 6:00-8:00 pm. d. During the times of year when the pygmy goat corral is not in operation, these animals are moved to our Red s Hobby Farm Corral. Budgie Aviary Protocols We maintain an interactive aviary with the following animals: Budgerigar. Guests may purchase millet spray sticks at the entrance to the aviary for a more interactive experience. The following are the protocols that should be followed by staff facilitating this interactive exhibit. The interpretation at this exhibit should follow the interpretive program description for this exhibit. 1. Facilitate a safe Guest Experience: a. To prevent harm to both animals and guests, staff is physically present to monitor the area while it is open and to facilitate interactions between guests and the animals. b. Make sure the exhibit has a zoo radio all day for direct communication to other staff. 2. Maintain a clean environment and experience for the animals and guests a. At the beginning of the day, sweep up any food particles that may have accumulated on the floor. b. Please leave feed bowls in exhibit until 9:45 a.m. so that the birds have adequate time to eat their morning diet. c. Start the day with an empty used feed stick bucket. d. We offer hand sanitizer stations at the exit of the exhibit e. There is a rest room facility within 50 feet of the area by the Whistlestop Cafe. 3. Facilitate feeding with Zookeeper staff a. Keepers will refill the food dishes throughout the day as determined by animal mgmt. b. After delivery of diets by Zookeepers, the diet food should remain in the bowls for 15 minutes. After this time, the staff or volunteers working the aviary remove the feed bowls and place them in the Experiences cash stand for the exhibit. c. Staff/volunteers should sweep again after each feeding. d. Guests should be instructed to not attempt to feed budgies that are already feeding from their diet food dishes. This is so that they are not distracted from their diet provided by Zookeepers. e. Guests are not allowed to touch the food-bowl seed/fruit/vegetables. 4. Observe animal/guest interactions for safety of guests and animals a. It is unacceptable to use the broom to shoo birds off the ground. Staff/volunteers working exhibit need to be interacting with the guests and letting them know to watch where they step as the birds do like to go to the ground for leftover seed. b. Guests should only be allowed to interact with the birds in a manner consistent with exhibit signage and staff instructions. If necessary, don t hesitate to ask a guest to leave the area after repeated attempts to correct their behavior. c. Be observant of the following behaviors or situations a. Guests who did not buy feed sticks dipping their hands into the feed bowls in order to try to attract more birds to them. Guests are not allowed to touch the food-bowl seed/fruit/vegetables. 11

12 b. Guests grabbing feed sticks from the used feed stick bucket and returning to the aviary. c. Guests attempting to pick-up and steal birds from aviary. d. Guests being too rough with budgies. e. Guests attempting to pet birds. Advise guests that they can bite. However if they persist you can indicate that the best area to touch is with one finger running down the back tail feathers. f. Children or adults stomping on budgies who are walking on the ground. g. Children shaking tree branches, shaking metal framework, food bowls, and slamming doors. 5. Closely monitor the entrance/exit to prevent unintentional exit of an animal or entrance by an individual that should not be permitted. a. Make sure that at least one of the gates at each end is closed at all times to prevent birds from escaping and flying away. You do not need to open the gate for guests entering and exiting but you should make sure the gate behind guests is closed before they open the next, as there are free-roaming animals in the exhibit. b. The exhibit is clearly marked with an entrance & exit doors. In order to help prevent a Code Budgie, do not encourage guests to exit through the entrance doors, and enter via the exit doors. 6. Procedure for a bird escape into entrance/exit walkway areas (called Code Budgie) a. Inform Experience worker to stop admitting guests. b. Ask nicely for guests currently in aviary not to leave explain to them that it should only be a few minutes of delay, and that someone is coming to assist you. c. Notify Zookeeper staff to come catch the bird by calling on the radio: i. This is 300 (insert name) I have a Code Budgie. (Zoo Interpreter Staff) ii. This is Volunteer (insert name) I have a Code Budgie. d. Do not try to catch the bird yourself. e. If a bird completely escapes aviary, please call immediately a Code 1: Budgie Aviary over the radio as it is an escaped animal. It is imperative that Zookeeper staff know as soon as possible a Code 1 has occurred since in the past escaped birds have been recovered and returned to the aviary. 7. End of the day, close-down procedures a. Place feed bowls back in aviary at 6:00 p.m. (prior to locking aviary) and leave feed bowls in exhibit once it is shut down. This is still true for if an After Hours zoo rental is occurring. If near the end of the day if there have been less than 10 feed sticks purchased in one hour, the feed bowls can be put in prior to 6:00. b. Empty the used feed stick bucket and all contents into the trash. c. At the end of the day or if for some reason the aviary closes early due to severe weather, be sure to lock both the entrance and exit doors with padlocks (these are stored in the Experience cart). 8. Animal Exposure and Rotation/Replacement Policy a. The area is open in the summer from 9 am to 6 pm and closed during the winter. i. In the winter, the birds are brought into the aquarium and housed in bird holding. b. The area is set up with a contact area (lower level branches) and a rest area (upper story branches) where the animals can go to get away from the public. 12

13 i. Guests may purchase millet spray sticks at the entrance to the aviary and may feed the birds that are in the contact area. ii. When the animals are in the rest area, the guests are asked to only look. Exposure times are mostly left up to the animals themselves who learn to go to the rest area when they are not hungry. If a bird is not acting normally, or shows signs of stress or injury, immediately contact 900 Budgie Keeper for assistance stating you have an injured budgie. This needs to be done as soon as you notice a problem since some sickness spreads rapidly, or any other condition (broken wing) can worsen quickly. Wallaby Walkthrough Protocols We maintain an interactive exhibit with Bennett s Wallabies. The following are the protocols that should be followed by staff facilitating this interactive exhibit. The interpretation at this exhibit should follow the interpretive program description for this exhibit. 1. Facilitate a safe Guest Experience a. To prevent harm to both animals and guests, staff is physically present to monitor the area while it is open and to facilitate interactions between guests and the animals. b. Make sure the exhibit has a zoo radio all day for direct communication to other staff. 2. At the opening of the exhibit a. Clean the guest walk space of any fecal matter with the provided broom and scoop. b. Bring out of the hut any biofacts pertinent to the educational content being presented to provide a hands-on and educational experience for guests during anytime (especially when Wallabies are not active). 3. Closely monitor the entrance/exit to prevent unintentional exit of an animal or entrance by an individual that should not be permitted a. Make sure that at least one of the gates at each end is closed at all times. Please do not take this to mean that you must open the gate for guests entering and exiting. You can simply tell people to make sure the gate behind them is closed before they open the next, as there are freeroaming animals in the exhibit. b. When you have a partner with you facilitating the exhibit, it is best to divide up and facilitate the two ends of the exhibit verses standing near each other. This allows for better customer service, interpretation of the animals in the exhibit, and maintain safety protocols of touching and double door system. c. In case of a wallaby escape, please use the animal escape (Code 1 Wallaby) procedures that you have been taught immediately. Wallabies move very quickly!! You role is to keep visual contact with the animal, if possible, but do not approach it. 4. Facilitate a safe interaction between guests and animals a. It is your responsibility to ensure the safety of the wallabies at all times. In certain situations, this may mean that you will need to encourage a wallaby to move away from the gates by gently pushing it, only if it is blocking the entry or exit. b. All guests must stay behind the split rail fence, they are not allowed to go up the hill. c. If wallabies desire to approach guests, the wallabies have the ability to go underneath the fence and come down on the pavement. If while working this area you catch a person (typically a young child) slipping under the fence, please first ask them to come back down out 13

14 of the area. If they do not immediately come down after your instruction, you are authorized to open the fence s gate and retrieve the person. d. Occasionally the flowering trees in the exhibit loose leaves or berries. Do not encourage guests to feed the wallabies the leaves/berries. Wallabies will find those extra treats on their own, but we do not allow active feeding of the animals. e. If a wallaby does come down on the pavement, guests are welcome to slowly approach it and touch it gently down its back. We do not encourage touching on the head, face, feet, or tail area. The tail especially is very sensitive, and the wallabies sometimes get startled if a guest touches/grabs at the tail. It is best to have one 1-2 people touching at once, and to NOT corner a wallaby. Instruct guests to not surround a wallaby but rather give it an escape path for when it is done interacting with guests. 5. Maintain a clean environment for the animals and guests a. We offer hand sanitizer stations at both exits of the exhibit b. There is a rest room facility within 150 feet of the area. 6. Closing of the exhibit at the end of the day a. Remain at the exhibit until a keeper staff comes to close down and lock up space. Because of exhibit closing duties, Zookeepers may not get to the exhibit until 6:15 PM. 7. Animal Exposure and Rotation/Replacement Policy a. This exhibit is open in the summer from 9 am to 6 pm and closed during the winter. b. The area is set up with a contact area and a rest area where the animals can go to get away from the guests. i. When the animals are in the rest area, the guests are encouraged to look but not touch. c. In the contact area, guests may touch the animals if the animals allow. d. Exposure times are mostly left up to the animals themselves who learn when they can go to the rest area and not be touched. We do not allow feeding of these animals. e. If a wallaby is not acting normally, or shows signs of stress or injury, immediately contact 900 Wallaby Keeper for assistance. This needs to be done as soon as you notice a problem since some sickness spreads rapidly or any other condition can worsen quickly. f. These animals are loaned to us for the summer. They are quarantined for at least thirty days prior to being placed in the area. They return to their owner in the fall. Camel Ride Experience Protocols Dromedary camel rides are contracted during the summer through Joe s Camels in Oklahoma. The rides are located in an area specifically designated for camel rides and the camels are housed in a barn located on the camel ride site. All general husbandry is provided by the operator. Veterinary assistance is provided as needed by in-house veterinary team. The following are the protocols that should be followed by staff facilitating this interactive experience. The interpretation at this exhibit should follow the interpretive program description for this experience. 1. Facilitate a safe Guest Experience: a. To prevent harm to both animals and guests, the operator (provided by the owner) is physically present to monitor the area while it is open and to and facilitate interactions between guests and the animals and a zoo staff assists with loading and unloading of guests. b. The exhibit has a zoo radio all day for direct communication to other staff. 14

15 2. Facilitate a safe interaction between guests and animals: a. Riders are loaded from a fenced ramp with the assistance of the zoo staff. i. The guests are positioned on the camel per the operator s instructions. b. Modified saddles are used which provide hand holds and a secure strap. c. There is a per ride weight limit determined by the operator. d. The operator guides the camel with a lead around the ride path, educating visitors about the animals during the experience. 3. Maintain a clean environment for the animals and guests a. A hand sanitizer station is located at the exit of the experience area. b. There is a rest room facility within 150 feet of the area at the Chimpanzee restroom. 4. Animal Exposure and Rotation/Replacement Policy a. Rides are given daily from 10:00 5:30 pm. May-September and closed during the winter. b. Two to three camels are loaned to us for the summer. They are quarantined for at least thirty days prior to beginning rides with the public. They leave with their owner in the fall. c. The area is set up with a ride area and a rest area where the animals rest while not being used for rides. d. In the ride area, guests may touch the camels if the guest is able to reach. e. If a camel is not acting normally, or shows signs of stress or injury, the operator tends to the issue and will contact the veterinary staff if necessary. f. Camels are rotated during the day on an as needed basis as determined by the operator. Typically, each camel works for 2 hours and then gets 2 hours of rest time. Aquarium Behind-the-Scenes Touch Tank With some of our education programs, we have two sea star species and urchins in aquarium tanks not visible to the general public. Contact is allowed with these animals but they are transferred temporarily to a small container outside their primary enclosure. Water from the valve of that holding tank is used to fill a small grey tub in which the animals are placed so that they have complete water cover. They remain in these containers for a very short period of time no more than 30 minutes. When being handled, staff are to keep them in their natural plane and not be turned upside down. They are also not to be taken out of the water during handling. Guest rinse their hands before touching animals. The interpretation during this behind-the-scenes experience should follow the interpretive program description. 15

16 Interactive Animal Exhibits -Guest Food Policy For the safety of the animals and our guests, Any person holding open food or food containers or eating food is not allowed into any of the interactive animal exhibits. The following statement should always be said to participants that touch a program animal while the guest is being presented with the option of using hand sanitizer, After touching any animal, we recommend that you use hand sanitizer. We also recommend that you wash your hands with soap and water before you eat. Animal Stress Signs of Stress will vary depending on the type of animal and that particular animal s usual temperament. Signs of stress may include, but are not limited to - Panting, Increased temperature, puffing up, escape attempts, increased/decreased activity, aggression, unusual posture, lethargy, and salivation. Animal Bites Remember that anything with a mouth can bite! If someone gets bit while you are in an Interactive Animal Exhibit please follow these procedures. Remain calm and be professional. Say how sorry you are this happened and assure everybody the animal is routinely checked by a veterinarian. If blood is drawn or the wound is particularly severe, follow John Ball Zoo s First Aid/Medical Emergency procedures. Inform the Education Program Manager or Animal Supervisor about the incident so a report will be filled out and they can monitor the animal. There is no doctor or clinic to which you may refer the individual. If they have questions they can call the office at , between 8:00am and 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. Please report ALL animal bites, this includes to you. The animal will not get in trouble. Animal Staff need to know when a bite happens as it may indicate that the animal has a health problem. 16

17 Receipt of Program Animal Policies for Interactive Animal Exhibits Updated 2015 Please read carefully and initial each statement, then print and sign your name accordingly. I have received a copy of John Ball Zoo s Program Animal Policies for Interactive Animal Exhibits. I acknowledge my obligation to read, understand, and comply with its contents. Initials I understand that failure to observe the policies and procedures within this document may result in disciplinary action. Initials I understand that this document is intended to provide an overview and does not necessarily represent all such policies in force. John Ball Zoo may at any time add, change, or rescind any policy or practice at its sole discretion. Initials Print Name Job Title Signature Date RETURN YOUR COMPLETED RECEIPT TO THE EDUCATION PROGRAM MANAGER 17