America’s Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College will host its annual Spring Spectacular during the weekends of March 16 and 23rd. This fun-filled family event features animal shows, kid-friendly games and food. This year’s activities will take place from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on March 16, 17th, 23rd, and 24th at Moorpark College under the theme “Zootastic Beasts and How to Save them.” Visitors will meet guest animals and trainers from various industries, including Hollywood Paws and Saving Wildlife, among others. Guests can meet the zoo’s two new tiger cubs, Neil and Karma, as they play next to Ira the lion and Kadogo the hyena. Behind-the-scenes tours will also provide unique opportunities to see animal feeding and training up close.

America’s Teaching Zoo is also home to an important program that trains the next generation of animal stewards. The Exotic Animal Training and Management program (EATM) was established in 1974 to provide students with high-quality instruction in exotic animal care and training. Students get hands-on experience while caring for nearly 200 animals at the zoo.

the globe recruit EATM’s distinguished graduates,” shares Mara Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the program. “Each year our students work around the clock to produce their biggest fundraising event, Spring Spectacular, which invites the community to experience the very best of what our Zoo has to offer.” In fact, America’s Teaching Zoo was recently ranked among the top 100 places to take your kids in Los Angeles by Mommy Poppins Magazine.

Spring Spectacular is open to the public and ticket prices are $10 for adults, $7 for kids/seniors, and $5 for Zoo members; children ages two and under can attend for free. All proceeds support America’s Teaching Zoo and the EATM program.

Additionally, this year Moorpark College will host its second annual Spring Festival, a free campus-wide open house celebration from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday, March 16 in conjunction with the first day of Spring Spectacular. Friends and families will enjoy carnival games, food, and shows as Moorpark College highlights its esteemed programs. For more information please call (805) 378-1441 or visit www.moorparkcollege.edu/zoo. Moorpark College is located at 7075 Campus Road Moorpark, California.

MOORPARK COLLEGE, one of three colleges in the Ventura County Community College District, was founded in 1967. It is set on 150 beautiful acres, nestled in the foothills on the southeastern flank of Ventura County, about 40 miles from UCLA, and approximately 75 miles from UC Santa Barbara. It is also a short drive from CSU Northridge, CSU Channel Islands, and California Lutheran University. Moorpark College was recognized in the Huffington Post in March of 2015 as the fourth-best community college in the nation. It has an excellent reputation for university transfer preparation, and its signature career/technical programs include nursing, radiation technology, biotechnology, and exotic animal training, which incorporates the world-renowned America’s Teaching Zoo. The college also offers a dynamic range of classes and programs in the visual and performing arts, and its pristine athletic fields and mild climate provide an excellent home for student athletes.