Docent Exam is Looming

Yesterday when Mary Lynn went to the Chance School Boutique, I took the opportunity to attend an extra class at the Zoo.  The Fall Docent Class is held on 2 days each week, Wednesday and Saturday, covering the same materials but allowing people to attend either one,  allowing for each person's schedule.  Saturday Class has been behind Wednesdays Class all year until yesterday.  I don't exactly how they caught up, but I'm sure some of the classes were combined, therefore shortened. 
Yesterday, the class had their 3 minute talk, which we had 2 weeks ago, but then had their 'Review' Class, which we won't have until this coming Wednesday. With the exam coming up I thought it would be a good idea to attend the 'Review' Class twice.  Also, it's going to give me more time to study up on the things he mentions 'might' be important to remember. 

Our teacher, Doug McCoy, said the test will consist of about 50 questions.  He sat out 26 pictures of animals across the front of the room, unidentified, and said that '10' of those animals will be on the test.  10 of the questions will be to identify the animal and write at least 2 things about it.  It's 'cute', or it's 'yuckie', will not be accepted.  Those 26 animals were:

1. Cottontop Tamarin               10.  Amur/Siberian Tiger *               19.  Ring Tailed Lemur
2. Snow Leopard                     11.  Woolly Monkey                        20.  Orangutan*
3. Hissing Cockroach*             12.  Rose Haired Tarantula              21.  Guam Rail
4. Eastern Screech Owl            13.  Giant African Millipede             22.  Masai Giraffe
5. Siamang                               14.  E. African Crowned Crane*      23.  Warthog
6. Southern White Rhino           15.  Western Lowland Gorilla*        24.  Addax
7. Black Footed Ferret *          16.  Polar Bear *                             25.  Mhorr Gazelle*
8. Maned Wolf*                       17.  Nene (Hawaiian Goose)*          26.  Bongo
9. Cuban Crocodile                  18.  Rodrigues Fruit Bat
                   Bongo Antelope

The animals I marked with  * is my 'guess' as to the 10 that will be on the test.  I feel very sure of several of them, Black Footed Ferret, Polar Bear, Mhorr Gazelle, Maned Wolf, Nene, but the others are just a wild guess.  Of course, this will be just 10 of the 50 questions.  He gave us no idea what might be contained in the other 40 questions!  Some help.  We'll see how close I came to the actual 10 used.  Do you know these animals? Can you come up with 2 interesting facts about each?  Oh yeah, he won't let us use "They stink" either.

We have our final Review this Wednesday, a longer class than yesterday's class, so maybe he'll cover more of what to expect.  I've discovered over the course of these last 3 months, too, that, as far as I can tell, I'm the least 'educated' of anyone in the class.  My limited 'High School' education, a High School without a 'Biology' Lab, and only a Freshman Biology Class, I've run into many words I've either never heard of or have not heard for many years.

I went on my first 'Night Safari' Friday night.  That was fun and interesting.  I didn't spend the night, but left at 11:00 pm, as the others were going to bed.  The Group that came were Cub Scouts from Richmond, KY, and a lot of parents and siblings.  I would guess about 24 children and 15 adults.  They bring sleeping bags, air mattresses, and sleep all around on the floor of the MetaZoo.  In the evenings we have a class on the groups chosen subject ( this time Nocturnal Animals and their adaptations), group activities involving in some way, animals.  Then about 10:00 pm go for a night walk.  In the morning they are awakened at 6:00am for breakfast of Krispy Kreme Donuts, or anything they may have brought, juice, milk and Coffee.  Then they go for a morning walk through the Zoo.  Of course the evening walk and morning walk are with the Docents talking about the animals we are seeing.  Then about 9:00 am they're walked to the front gate and they leave.  I think all the Cub Scouts had a good time.  At least they sure acted like it.  And, the Night Safari completed the last 2 of my required tasks for my Docent Training.  So, the only hurdle now will be my Exam!