Not many people can say
they have ever held a giant African millipede, a whip scorpion, or a boa
constrictor. Fortunately for me, I was lucky enough to do this every week while
volunteering at Lincoln Children’s Zoo. Being a Fisheries and Wildlife major
and having a love for wildlife, it was the perfect place to volunteer. I worked
with zoo staff in the exhibit called The Hive to help get kids excited about
wildlife and the natural world around them.
The Hive houses the
creepy crawlers like insects, spiders, and reptiles. I was given the privilege
to handle some these critters while volunteering. My favorite animals to hold
were the giant African millipedes and the boa constrictor. My least favorite
was the hissing cockroaches. They would hiss and run around frantically around
their tank. It freaked me out and I cringed every time I had to touch one. An especially
horrible experience with a cockroach was when a feisty one jumped off of my
hand into a gaggle of hesitant girls. They ran screaming into a huddle on the
opposite side of the room. No animals or humans were harmed, but it was
traumatizing for both me and those little girls.
When
the animals decided to cooperate, I would let the kids observe and touch them
while I explained a little bit about each of them. It was entertaining watching
the different reactions the kids would have to the animals. Some were squeamish
around the critters, while others could not wait to get their hands on them and
learn. It was truly gratifying to see a child get excited about wildlife.
Volunteering at Lincoln
Children’s Zoo was a roaring good time. I highly suggest for those who share my
passion for wildlife seek opportunities to get involved in their community that
involve kids and wildlife. It can be an extremely gratifying experience.
If interested in getting involved, a
great resource for UNL students is the Center for Civic Engagement on the
second floor of the City campus union. You can also find information at their
website: http://engage.unl.edu
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