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The Zoo Club

All schools have clubs, but at Miami Country Day School, there's a club that's so hot there's actually a waiting list to get in. These kids like to walk on the wild side, and they do every week-- with endangered species. Seven's Lynn Martinez has more in today's Parent To Parent.

WSVN -- Gypsy is a 5-month-old leopard with a bit of an attitude, but these kids take it all in stride because they're members of Miami Country Day's Zoo Club.

Cathy Moghari, the Zoo Club: "I need everyone to stay still while I'm holding her, OK?"

Every Friday, kids at the school take a walk on the wild side with animals provided by the Zoological Wildlife Foundation.

Kyle Grossman: "I think it's really cool, cause, like you think that you're in a zoo but you're not really, you're in your school."

Cathy Moghari: "Sativa is a white-handed gibbon, also called a Lar Gibbon."

Parent volunteer Cathy Moghari helped bring the Zoo Club program to Country Day. She makes sure the kids get a one-of-a-kind hands-on experience, learning things like what countries the animals are from, all about their diet and habitat and why they're endangered.

Cathy Moghari: "Is it loss of habitat, or is it that they're being killed for the pelts? Whatever it may be, and we don't sugarcoat it for the kids, we tell them the truth, and we talk about writing petitions and contacting people in government. If you don't like something you should speak up."

Today, Gypsy is joined by Sativa the gibbon, and her best friend Napoleon-- a French bulldog. Believe it or not, these two are inseparable.

Aaron Dillworth: "They share their toys, and they sleep in the same bed, and that's it."

Definitely not something you see everyday.

Neither is a white-handed gibbon who likes to suck her thumb. How cute.

Tyler Grossman: "The fur felt really soft, and I didn't think it would be like that."

Kyle Grossman: "A tiny little face like this big, like..."

The Zoo Club was founded this year and has featured a baby Bengal tiger, Arctic wolf cubs, a Nile crocodile and many more.

Maria Tabraue, Zoological Wildlife Foundation: "Being able to touch it, being able to ask questions, it's just there are no words to express that. I love it and wish I could do it everyday."

The kids love it too and are already clamoring to bring the club back next year.

Cathy is all for it.

Cathy Moghari: "I love animals, and I love kids and probably I'm having the most fun of all. I've got the best of both worlds with me, and it's for an hour every Friday, and we're having a blast!"

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Dr. Valerie Goode
www.drvaleriegoode.com

The Zoological Wildlife Foundation
http://www.zoologicalwildlifefoundation.com/

Exotic Animal Amnesty Day 2009:
Mona Lisa, Black Howler Monkey

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On Saturday March 21st the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission held their second annual Amnesty Day. A great gentleman from Islamorada by the name of Bill decided after four and a half years that he would bring his much loved pet monkey, Mona Lisa in. Then apply for the proper permits. This is when we met one of the most interesting and rare of the new world monkeys, a black howler.

Though the intentions were for Bill to get his permit and get her back, it turns out that by state regulations he would need 2.5 acres.This is an impossibility for him at this time. So we have decided to build Mona Lisa a large and comfortable cage with hopes of eventually finding her a mate... This will require funding that at this time is not available to us. Your contributions would be greatly appreciated.

We would like to thank one of Mona Lisa's old friend, Susan, for her contribution.We hope she will drop by on occasions to visit.

We would like to thank Bill and Kelly Sabat for their contribution of a new awesome cage for Mona. These very good people not only have loved this incredible monkey as a child, but continue to support her in her new life. Thanks Bill and Kelly!