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Kids become zookeepers for a day

| 23 Jul 2018 | 01:50
    Zoo visitors feed the herd of deer.
    Zoo visitors feed the herd of deer.
    A Syrian Grizzly bear cools off in his pool.
    A Syrian Grizzly bear cools off in his pool.
    PHOTOS BY JANET REDYKEThe entrance to Space Farms excites youngsters who were heard shouting, “Lions and tigers and bears, oh my. And look pizza too.”
    PHOTOS BY JANET REDYKEThe entrance to Space Farms excites youngsters who were heard shouting, “Lions and tigers and bears, oh my. And look pizza too.”
    With all the activity and fun, (from left) Hunter Space, Steve Andrews of WSUS radio and Lori Space Day take a break and pose for a Junior Zookeeper Day photo.
    With all the activity and fun, (from left) Hunter Space, Steve Andrews of WSUS radio and Lori Space Day take a break and pose for a Junior Zookeeper Day photo.
    It’s sleepy time for a lion.
    It’s sleepy time for a lion.

WANTAGE — With lions roaring, sheep bleating and children squealing with delight, Space Farms and Museum held Junior Zookeeper Day on Saturday July 21. The Junior Zookeeper program has been a zoo tradition at the farms for the past two decades and this year featured animals including Australian kangaroos, the Australian emu, a Zebu African cattle calf and Polish fowl.
The program was geared for children ages 5 to 15, showing them the disciplines and rigors of zookeeping and caring for animals of all varieties.
Sussex County radio station WSUS broadcasted live with radio celebrities Steve Andrews and Steve Allan.
“This is my favorite day of the year,” commented Andrews, even though he did wind up in the snake den with Parker Space as Space conducted a snake lecture and hands-on activity.
Hunter Space was in charge of the 12:45 carnivore feeding.
“Zookeeping is an interesting job, anything can and usually does happen,” Hunter said.
He also explained how Space Farms has a roadkill patrol that scours Sussex County. The farm picks up various types of animals, mainly deer, killed on roads, to feed their zoo carnivores.
Lori Space Day spoke about one-and-a-half-year-old Oliver, the red Australian kangaroo who arrived as a baby from the Barnhill Preserve in Delaware. She joked about old time carnivals having boxing kangaroos. Oliver, however, “was not wearing boxing gloves.”
Junior Zookeeper Day ran from noon to 3p.m. with animal study stations like Fabulous Fowl, The Human Corral, Tiger Lily’s Bottle, Animal Watering Races and Whistles Pigs, Groundhogs and Woodchucks.
At the conclusion of the yearly program, children received a Junior Zookeeper certificate which included taking a pledge and following zookeeper.