Leisure Delivery System - Ashlynn Miller - mille144

Introduction
A zoo is defined as a park where live wild animals from different parts of the world are kept in cages or enclosures for people to come and see, and where they are bred and studied by scientists. But it is so much more than that. Zoos are a main source of tourism here in the United States. But I’m here to give you more information about a specific zoo, Peoria Glen Oak Zoo. I had the great opportunity to be able to visit the Zoo and talk to one of the directors and ask her some questions.

Background
Since the late 1800s, exotic animals have been on display in Peoria and were housed around the city in many different parks. All the animals were brought together by the Glen Oak Zoo. The official grand opening was on May 14, 1955 and the main building and children’s zoo cost $180,000. The building was constructed in the shape of a candy cane so visitors could not see what awaited them.

Employment
There are many employment opportunities at Glen Oak Zoo. The maintenance crew isn’t hands on with the animals but they make the zoo look presentable to visitors by cleaning the bathrooms, emptying the garbage cans, and just picking up around the zoo’s perimeters. Educators deal with animals when need be but they mainly work with children, special events, tours, and taking classes around the zoo. A zookeeper, which is a higher level job, work in the zoo and provide direct care for animals including feeding, cleaning, training, monitoring animal health, and educating the visitors are all part of their daily responsibilities. The Glen Oak Zoo works through the Peoria Park District, so if there are any job openings, they will be posted on the PPD website. The Zoo is also linked with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The higher level job openings such as a zookeeper would be posted on the AZA website. A typical work day for most employees would be from 8:30 am to 5 pm, unless an animal is sick, in which they will stay there for however long is needed.

Expansion and Future Plans
In 2000, a master plan to triple the size of the Zoo was adopted. The first phase was Africa! which cost approximately 27.5 millions including construction costs. It opened to the public on June 6, 2009. The Africa! exhibit brings something unique to the Peoria Zoo. Part of Africa! structure stands 15 ft. in the air. The next project is a new 7000 sq ft grand entry complex. It will contain a central plaza, new spaces for ticketing, food services, and gift shop, provide space for educational opportunities, and offer a larger more convenient parking lot. The master plan calls for changing up historic Australian and Asian exhibits, rivers of North America, and a South American Glass Dome.

Benefit
The Peoria Glen Oak Zoo’s main goal is to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for families and tourists, and they also hope visitors learn something while they are there. It’s a place for families to have fun and make memories. Their mission is to create connections that inspire an appreciation for the natural world. Their vision is that the Peoria Zoo will be recognized as a leader in raising public awareness and commitment to conservation. In order to reach out to tourists, they market outside the local area, use their website, and make prices comparable to other tourism spots.

Conservation
Conservation is their cause. Their programs and practices are based on achieving the maximum possible conservation potential. The Peoria Zoo tries to teach everyone how important conservation is. They have a Conservation Center which shows the importance of water conservation and clean water.
The Species Survival Plan states: The Peoria Zoo works cooperatively with other Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited institutions to help ensure the survival of selected wildlife species through the Species Survival Plan (SSP) Program. Each SSP manages the breeding of a species in order to maintain a healthy and self-sustaining population that is both genetically diverse and demographically stable. This regulates uncontrolled breeding. The Zoo houses 13 species which are managed in the SSP.

Opportunities
The Peoria Zoo has programs for all ages and groups. In Zoo Tots, for ages 2-4, toddlers will learn about the animals around us with crafts, stories and live animals. In Zoo Kids, for ages 5-8, kids will explore the animal world with games, animals, and more. Home Educators Class is for kids who are homeschooled and they investigate a different scientific topic each month. Other programs offered are Scout Programs, Guided Tours, Behind-the-Scene Tours, Zoo Snooze, and Zoomobile. With the new Africa! exhibit, the Zambezi River Lodge was created which provides a great place for business meetings, wedding receptions, and other events.

Facts
The Zoo is home to over 100 species of animals from around the world. They are not planning on adding anymore animals anytime soon, but with the Australian Walkabout that has been talked about, a few more species may be brought in. The Glen Oak Zoo’s estimated attendance for 2009 is about 225,000. Adding the new Africa! exhibit caused the number of visitors to double. This opened at the beginning of June and June is their busiest month so they greatly benefited from it.



Synopsis
As you can see, the Peoria Glen Oak Zoo offers various opportunities to locals as well as tourists. Many people do not realize the amount of the work needed to keep the Zoo serviceable. Not only does a profession in this field require a commitment to conservation – it requires hard work. It’s not always fun. Much of the work requires physical strength along with the ability to make thorough observations and keep information up-to-date. Though it does have its downsides, an occupation here would give you a satisfaction that you could not receive anywhere else. The Zoo is dedicated to conservation, education and recreation. A place devoted to creating connections that inspire an appreciation for wonders of the natural world, the Zoo invites people to explore, discover and learn about nature.