On February 27th, all 6 of Ms. Espinosa's class periods took a field trip to the Los Angeles Zoo. AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, and Honors Biology students alike were given a lengthy scavenger hunt, with over 100 items to find during their excursion at the zoo. As soon as buses arrived at the zoo, students zoomed off in an attempt to be crowned champion of the hunt and awarded the esteemed extra credit points.
Some groups started off at the Winnick Family petting zoo, escorted by their chaperones as they brushed energetic goats and learned about rectangle-pupiled sheep. They then visited the LAIR, or the Living Amphibians, Invertebrates, and Reptiles exhibit. Once inside, there were a multitude of different insects, reptiles and amphibians, including the desert hairy scorpion, the false gharial, and the Chinese giant salamander (the world's largest amphibian!) Other groups began their hunt at the opposite side of the zoo, in the Australia House. There they found many fluffy creatures, including koalas, wallabees, tasmanian devils and more - all animals on their list to find. Then they made their way to the center of the zoo, marveling at the gorillas, giraffes, and elephants.
As all groups moved towards the back of the zoo, lunchtime arrived, and many dropped out of the chase for a while to grab some food. Despite the fact that most groups were already in the back of the zoo, a majority of the open cafes and restaurants were towards the front, like Reggie's Bistro, where fresh salads, wraps, and burgers were available near the very entrance of the zoo. (Fun Fact: the cafe's namesake is Reggie the Alligator, a 6½-foot alligator who has been featured on the news multiple times for his daring escapades.) After lunch, groups made their way to their final stops before their departure back to school. Many groups visited the Neil Papiano Play Park, hoping to get a sweet treat from the vending machines on this hot day. Once they had acquired frozen desserts, they all made their way back to the zoo's entrance, where their buses were waiting for them.
Thank you to the LA Zoo for graciously allowing the students from North Hollywood High School to explore the zoo and learn about all kinds of awesome creatures!
