Docent Training - Week 13

It's hard to believe it's already been 13 weeks since orientation.  We were told at orientation that it would cost $60 to 'volunteer' to be a Docent.  This money would cover our printed material, which is a pretty good size binder full of helpful material, and an "Official" Docent Shirt with patch we
are required to wear when working on Zoo time.  At the time it seemed pretty steep, but I could see why they might need to charge for this.

Well, 13 weeks into the training I feel the experience alone has been well worth the money.  Today was the second week in a row we didn't handle any animals.  We have Library training after class and 4 or 5 people stay each week to get that done, so they haven't been bringing in any animals so that we can get started on that right away.  I did my Library Training last week.  This is just an hour of orientation on how things are stored, how to sign them out, and what we have available to us for 'show and tell'.

We did go behind the scenes to another exhibit today.  We've gone to the Herpaquarium, Elephant Exhibit, Giraffe House, Gorilla House,.........and today we went to visit the Lions.

We went around back, behind the Lion enclosure.  We stopped outside the doors and the trainers told us what to expect when we went in, and exactly how to behave.  It's a small area.  Stay against the wall.  The Lions will roar and jump at you, especially men.  Don't stare at them, they perceive that as a threat.  If you happen to trip and fall, don't grab the cage wire to hold yourself up.  Whatever goes on the other side of those cage wires will STAY there.  We will only take in 5 people at a time.

Wow!  That was a unique experience!  I was the first one in, behind the trainer.  We were only 3 feet away from the Lions, and that male Lion jumped at me and growled the loudest growl I've ever heard.  Even though I was expecting it, when you have a 450 pound Lion jump at you from 3 feet away, it's a little nerve wracking.  What power!  They said one swipe of his paw could crush all your mid-section bones and that his jaws could crush your head like a grape.  Yep.  They had my full attention and respect.  I only stayed maybe 2-3 minutes, not wanting to keep the others from coming in.  Really!  I would like to have stayed a little longer but there were 3 other groups of five to come in yet.

So, week 13 is completed.  I've got 6 more weeks to go.  I'm going to do a 'Night Safari' on Friday night, November 4th.  This will just require me to be there from about 6:00 pm until about 11:00 pm.  When I become a Docent I can spend the night with the group that will be there, if I want.  I'm not much for spending the night anyplace, so I don't think I'll be doing that.  I don't know how old this group will be, but on the 'Night Safari's' they have a class around 7:30, then go on a night walk through the Zoo around 10:00.  This will help fulfill one of my training requirements.  I'm also signed up to go on an 'Outreach' to St. Albert the Great School on Monday, November 7th.  I'll need to be there at 10:00 am and will probably get back around 1 or 2 pm.  Another training requirement completed.