Animals, both exotic and domestic, permeate our culture in television, movies, zoos and other animal events. To make these animals ready for primetime, movie studios and zoos rely on animal trainers. Moorpark College offers the Exotic Animal Training and Management program for those interested in this unusual profession.
Moorpark College, located near Ventura in Southern California, offers a two-year degree in animal training, with options to earn certificates in animal behavior management and wildlife education. Students work and study at the college zoo, with most graduates going on to jobs at zoos, aquariums, ocean parks and movie and television studios.
The hands-on program requires students to care for the schools nearly 200 animals each day, all year. As part of the programs main focus, students will learn the principles and techniques of animal training by training their assigned animals to learn new behaviors. Students also learn public speaking skills, bone up on animal facts and immerse themselves in wildlife education. The goal is to prepare students to present any type of animal to a live audience and learn to improvise in any situation involving animals.
For more information about the Exotic Animal Training and Management program at Moorpark College, visit the programs website at http://www.moorparkcollege.edu/zoo/index.html.
Posted: July 27, 2006, 5 a.m. EST