ZOO-SNOOZE

One of the many things that Australians are very good at is the ability to be very environmentally aware.  They recycle, conserve and protect their environment.  They spend millions of dollars and many man hours trying to keep this beautiful country pristine and safe for all living things that call it home.
  
Claire happens to love this about Australia.  She is a big "Tree Hugger" at heart and wants to reduce her carbon footprint as much as possible.  Don't tell her that I have told the world, but, her secret wish is to live on a farm (right outside of a major city) someday where she grows her own organic veggies, raises grass-fed cattle, has free-range chickens and 6 kids and is surrounded by all that God has created.  However, she does not want to be married to a farmer but, a doctor who dabbles in farming as a hobby.  Keep dreaming, my sweet girl.....So when Claire was asked by her science teacher if she would like to participate in the POWERFUL OWL PROJECT she jumped at the chance to make a environmental difference.  This select group of students would be working with primary age children as mentors.  They are to educate the children about the owl and how / why it is endangered.  These small groups of students are to think of ways that they can protect the owl and help it to thrive in the wild so that it will not become extinct.
For her first meeting with the primary age group of kids, she was to meet them at the local Tarango Zoo here in Sydney.  However, Claire's science teacher wanted the high school age mentors to be very prepared for their first meeting with their pupils.  Her teacher, Ms. Edmonds, asked the mentors to come to the zoo and spend a complete day (24 hours) learning more about the Powerful Owl from zookeepers that know them best.

YES, Claire was going to be spending the night among the animals in the zoo.  She slept  right outside of the gorilla's habitat.  She was able to hand feed giraffes, hear lions roaring through the night and observe the Powerful Owl in its natural setting - complete DARKNESS.  She had a wonderful time and felt a little bit like she was on a safari.  She said that it is one thing to walk about the zoo during the day but, it is completely another experience to walk around the zoo with a headlamp strapped to your forehead in the DARK, hearing all of the animals interacting with each other with their voices!

She enjoyed her time with her group of youngsters and she is looking forward to teaching them more about the POWERFUL OWL and how we can help save them.  It will be a great learning experience, an opportunity of a life-time and a chance to propel her future tree-hugging dreams.  :)

         Claire is preparing for her night in the wild.

Here she is hanging with the Meerkats.