I chose to do my service learning at Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium off of Colonial Blvd. in Fort Myers. It was recommended to me by a couple of close friends who described it as “something fun, yet educational.” I of course was doubtful so I decided to check it out. They were right. On my first day there I mainly took on a student role and learned about the different animals they had and how to feed them and clean their cages. We started off cleaning Tails’ cage who is a brown fox that is suffering from random seizures. We couldn’t stay in the cage long because the veterinarian was examining Tails and he was getting a little aggressive. Unfortunately I don’t remember any of the other animal’s names. After cleaning the Tails’ enclosure, we went and starting working with the raccoons, who were also in a fairly aggressive mood. We continued in a similar manner until every animal living at Calusa Nature Center had clean food, water, and a clean place to sleep.
The coolest thing to me was seeing kids who are much younger than I am, volunteering at Calusa Nature Center and truly enjoying themselves. These aforementioned kids were also very quick to put me in my place whenever I messed something up (which was quite often). The two days I worked at Calusa Nature Center were truly enjoyable. They have all sorts of different kinds of animals, from butterflies to alligators. The only thing I wish I could’ve seen was the seven foot alligator being fed. I guess that just means I’ll have to go back for the rest of my 80+ hours!
No comments:
Post a Comment