My zoo animal checklist how to#

Today, you’ll find more than 2000 mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles (representing more than 270 species) on more than 100 acres at the LA Zoo. The Griffith Park Zoo opened in 1912 with just fifteen animals, a few miles from the current Zoo site.

The LA Zoo is located within Griffith Park and has been a family favorite for years. Families can visit and enjoy seeing the animals and exhibits. Provide staff with resources on safety at animal exhibits, especially if staff includes veterinarians or healthcare providers.The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is now open for families, with advanced ticketing and safety precautions in place.Encourage them to talk to visitors about safety around animals, such as handwashing. Teach staff about the risks of working around animals.

My zoo animal checklist how to#

Train staff and educate visitors on diseases animals may carry and how to prevent them.

Provide signs for guests on when and how to wash their hands, where they can eat, and areas for the animals.

Educate staff and visitors on how to prevent illness after being around animals.

Provide stations for handwashing at the exits of animal exhibits, including some that are low enough for children to reach.

When designing an exhibit, you want to protect your animals and your visitors, while preserving the fun and education.ĭesign exhibits in ways that will help to prevent the spread of disease: NASPHV also provides a toolkit with examples of regulations on animal exhibitions, printable posters with messages on how to stay safe while enjoying animals, and a check list of petting zoo best practices.Įven healthy animals can carry germs that might make visitors sick. The Compendium of Measures to Prevent Diseases Associated with Animals in Public Settings provides standardized recommendations for public health officials, veterinarians, animal venue operators, animal exhibitors, and others concerned with disease control and with minimizing risks associated with animals in public settings. Even animals that look clean and healthy can carry harmful germs, and areas where animals live or roam can be contaminated – you don’t have to touch an animal to get sick. If you forget to wash your hands after petting an animal, or bring food or drinks into an area with animals, you increase your chance of getting sick.

These groups should take extra precautions at animal exhibits. coli, Cryptosporodium, and Salmonella, but there are also many other types of germs that can spread between animals and people.Ĭhildren younger than 5 years old, people with weakened immune systems, and adults 65 years and older are more likely to get sick from germs animals can carry. Some of the most common harmful germs people get from animals at exhibits are E. From 2010-2015, about 100 outbreaks of illness in people linked to animals in public settings like zoos, fairs, and educational farms were reported to public health officials. However, it’s important to know that animals sometimes carry germs that can make people sick.Įvery year, many people get sick after visiting an animal exhibit.

Interacting with animals at fairs, educational farms, petting zoos, summer camps, aquariums, schools, and other places can be educational and fun, and helps people learn about and experience animals they may not see in their daily lives.