Project Details

Organisation:	Singapore Zoological Gardens
Mentor:	Maggie Ang
Members:	Crystal Lim, Ashley Chew
Project Title:	Singapore Zoo

A. Brief Description of Project
There were actually several projects which were going on concurrently during our four weeks at the zoo. The main project was to complete two interpretive surveys (one at the Polar Bear Exhitbit and the other at the Splash Safari Exhibit) and we were required to sit in a corner and observe how visitors reacted to the signages at the varius exhibits.


(POLAR BEAR EXHIBIT)

This was carried out during week 2 and week 3 of the WOW! Attachment while week 1 was spent planning and editing the template for the interpretive survey (a copy is attached in our WOW! File) and week 4 was mainly data collection and analysis.

In week 2 of the WOW! Attachment, we were also asked to create a new questionnaire to gather information about how visitors felt towards the signages. For example, whether they found it interesting, or educational, or informative, etc. And an extra copy is also found in our WOW! Files :) And we had to approach the visitors for their feedbacks regarding these signages at the two exhibits.

Some of the other "jobs" that we had to do were cataloging books (librarian job!), taking care of the den animals and washing the den regularly, facilitating in school exursions (even staying overnight at the zoo for camp!) and of course, tending the Moo Booth which was held to celebrate the year of the cow (not ox).

In week 1 of the WOW! Attachment, we were taught how to catalog books. We had to update the education department's library database and also print out little stickers to label the books according to the color code given.

On the 13th of January, we helped to facilitate East View Secondary School students for their excursion at the zoo, and at the same time, we also learnt alot from it too. And the excursions were only solely done for the students therefore we're priviledged as visitors at the zoo would not be able to have such an up-close and personal tour of what goes on in the "back" of the zoo. On the 19th of Janurary, we also went to Seng Kang Primary School (and rode in the ZOO GOES TO SCHOOL VAN) where we helped to sell zoo merchandise (mostly books and Zoo-Ed) to the students at discounted prices. And on the 22nd to the 23rd of January was the Zoo Camp where I stayed overnight for the first time in my life at the zoo! Hahha :D Along with the students from International Community School. Although it was tiring, having spent the whole day running around the zoo and playing games with the children, I had alot of fun :) Especially at the Night Safari. And did we mention that we had free admission to the zoo and the night safari just because we wear the name tags? And also 35% ben and jerry's discount!!!!! I also got to travel to the Jurong Bird Park to get the tents for the Zoo Camp and another staff and I acutally sat there and sipped coffee instead ha ha.


(EVSS)

We were quite lucky that we only cleaned the den (which kept the home animals) thoroughly, ONCE. Hahah and we even had to climb into cages and scrrrrrrrrrrrrub all the dirty little corners sparkling clean. And then "dettol" the den through and through to make sure that the animals are always kept clean and healthy. We would also help out with the feeding of the den animals (and if because we were lucky, we got to feed the Sea Manatees at the Splash Safari FREE) and the usual "so cute!" remarks we would make when we fed them. There were two ferrets (seng seng -who appeared on tv too & pipi), two gerbils (poke & mon), three sugar gliders (can't remember but it was one male and two females), 1 rabbit , 1 chinchilla (chin chin), 1 hedgehodge (I love the hedgehodge!), 1 slow loris (zai zai!!!), 1 red-eared turtle (wu gui), and 1 guinea pig (da bao because he's fat and he eats alot).

As for the last week of our attachment, we were asked to tend the Moo Booth where we taught young kids how to fold paper cows and basically, get featured on the news. We were interviewed and then filmed SECRETLY hahah. Like paparazzi. Yeah apparently it was on CNA, CH5, CH8 news. We even spoke Chinese which was SUPER RARE of us. Well, what can I say, they forced us to ):


(COW ORIGAMI)


B. Results
1. Smarter (more zoo knowledge)
2. New friends (from zoo staff and the students)
3. Unforgettable memories.

C. Reflection

Three content knowledge/skills that we have learnt

1. We learned how to hold animals the proper way and how to catch them (eg. by tempting them with food and to corner them)
2. Conservation messages that the zoo is promoting
3. We also learnt how to effectively approach vistiors at the zoo to entice them to fill in our questionnaires

Two interesting aspects about our learning

1. It is very outdoor-based. The things we learn at the zoo can NEVER be learnt in school (ie. textbooks)
2. We've learnt alot by observing at the workplace such as office politics, where to get hot milo, and how to get from one place of the zoo to another ASAP without getting lost.

One take-away for life

1. When we were collecting the results for the questionnaire one tourist wrote: "Best zoo in the world!" :)

Gallery

East View Secondary School.
Everyone didn't know what's tjc. They though we were from TEMASEK POLY.
Or PASIR RIS SEC.
hahah.


Waiting.


Before the zoo talk!
;D


The boys in class.
And the very quiet teacher.


CaterpillarS!!
So fat. And squiggly.


Stick insect and not so stick boy!

:D

POLAR BEAR EXHIBIT:


Crystal so hardworking :)

SPLASH SAFARI EXHIBIT:


Penguins!
My favourite! AFRICAN JACKASS PENGUINS :D


Sea Manatees! FREE FEEDING.
Hahha :D
Which I always call them MALTESERS (the chocolate) cos I can't seem to pronounce Manatees.

DEN:



Poke! As in POKEMON, Po-ke!

:D

It's a gerbil btw, not a rat.



Rabbit! So pretty :)
Crystal's fav.


Mon! Gerbil 2.


Hedgehodge! I love hedgehodge, she's so shy, but very pretty. and the spikes do hurt but it's not that painful :D



WU GUI.
HAHAHAH


FEEDING CHART.
They eat little because they are small but we tend to overfeed them so they're super fat. Esp. DA BAO.



Sengseng!!
:D
He's a ferret. and he's smelly. Like the skunk.
He was featured in the news tooooooooo! :)


ICS: ZOO CAMP


JUST GOT UP.
Super unglam picture.


Maggie and Wai Kit! :)
So couply. hahah.


THe chio buzzzzzzzzzzz.
Best breakfast, ever.
(after starving a whole night)


The boy who fed the elephant.
Hahha :D
He's cute and he's from Australia. And elephants eat the banana skin too!



Behind the scenes!
@ reptiles.

The really gooooooood looking teacher who asked for my name (in blue!!)
:D




POST-CHINESE NEW YEAR:


Shalom koping Maggie's mandarin oranges.
He's Thai with British accent. or was it Australian?


The school teacher on attachment! He has like 6 fingers on one hand.
Ban sun! :)) CAMWHORE with oranges.

WORKING:




MOO BOOTH:





HAHAH. Crystal and cow.

DAILY LUNCH:



NIGHT SAFARI - LUNCH :D
Free and goooooood! :)
But must fight for the CORDIAL cos it's in high demand!


An example of lunch. it's the best CAI FAN around!


Bansun, showing a good example clearing the dishes.
Think: school canteen food style.


Us at hte Moo Booth!
:)


Instructions for COW ORIGAMI!
Credits to Yuka :D



Camwhoring after work! @ Moo Booth :)

BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:D



BEST ATTACHMENT, EVER! :D