ZOOLOGY
New Coordinators, New Keepers & Animal Adventures
We’ve been busy this term with two new Coordinators taking over Sue’s role while she is overseas for 3 months. Cassie Poole and Dr Narelle Price join the team sharing the role of Zoology Centre Coordinator.
Cassie works part time at Healesville Sanctuary and Narelle is a veterinarian from the Melbourne Rabbit Clinic and enjoying the opportunity to work with students and reptiles as a change from her furry friends.
Both Cassie and Narelle have hit the ground running and doing some amazing things in the Zoology Centre and in their work with the kids.
Cassie has started up an ‘After School Skinks Club’, giving students an opportunity to have a more intensive time to learn about individual animals, their care and handling.
Narelle is putting her veterinarian skills to good use by microchipping animals and performing necropsies and sharing these experiences with the students. Both Cassie and Narelle are great additions to the team.
We have also had a number of new students achieve their Zoo Keeper status with still more new students signing up in the past few weeks.
We have visited a few of primary schools including Birmingham Primary School, Wandin North Primary School and Chirnside Park Primary School. This has given our students an excellent opportunity to share their knowledge and skills with other students.
The Zoo Keepers have been amazing in the roles as ambassadors of the Zoology Centre and representing Lilydale High School, and we are very proud of them all.
The VET Animal Studies students have visited the RSPCA facilities in Burwood learning about being animals attendants and how to provide first aid to animals. These have been great opportunities to experience hands-on practical experiences in a different animal care facility. The students were enthusiastic about the opportunities they were given and threw themselves into the activities provided.
We are finally seeing some progress with construction of the new enclosures beginning last week. We are currently in the process of rearranging the room to allow work to occur while at the same time, house and service the animals in the collection.
It’s going to be a tricky few months ahead, but the students are looking forward to the next evolution of the room and what is set to be one of the best reptile facilities in the country, providing our students with even more unique experiences than they already have.
Keeper Profile
Cody Stringer: Aqua Specialist / Senior Keeper
Age:17
How long have you been a keeper in the Zoology Centre?
I have been a keeper in the program for 6 year. Started in Year 7 and have stayed in the program the whole time.
Which animals do you enjoy working with the most?
I enjoy working with the Murray Cod because of how unique they are and how big they can grow. They are an amazing fish that show their personality like no other fish.
What has been one of your most memorable moments in the Zoology Centre?
One of the most memorable moments is the day I became a keeper, as it was the start of a whole new journey of being a keeper and taking my interest in animals and fish in particular, to a whole new level.
What do you enjoy about being a keeper in the Zoology Centre?
I love that you can socialise with your friends while sharing a passion for the animals in the room.
What are your aspirations for the future?
I hope to become a fisheries officer to keep the Victorian fish stocks at a good level and even grow them, so everyone can have a better time fishing.
What are you looking forward to the most when the Zoology Centre is complete?
All the new aquatic enclosures and the fish that will be displayed in them. I’m looking forward to working with range of fish and ensuring that their conditions allow them to thrive, so more people can learn about our native fish.
Why would you recommend getting involved in the Zoo Keeper Program at Lilydale High School?
I would recommend at least giving it a shot to everyone as it is an amazing experience and there is something different for everyone. It’s a great way to meet new people who share a passion for similar things and it’s a great program that gives you a huge range of experiences and opportunities you won't get anywhere else.
Species Highlight!
Murray Cod Maccullochella peelii
Size 180cm
Australia’s most well-known and esteemed native freshwater fish due to its large size and a maximum recorded weight of 113.5kg. Cream to olive-green in colour with dark grey to greenish, reticulated mottling. Median fins are dusky brown, mottled basally with a white edge. Pectoral fins are an overall white. It has a carnivorous diet and prey items include; crustaceans, fishes, molluscs, turtles and other small animals.
Widely distributed throughout the Murray-Darling Basin where it inhabits slowly flowing, turbid waters of rivers and streams at low elevations and also fast moving, clear rocky upland streams. It is a very important food source to the indigenous people of that area and an important animal in ‘dreamtime’ mythology.
Cody Stringer (Year 12), our resident Aquarist takes good care of our Murray Cod and has conditioned it to emerge from its comfortable hiding place and take food that is offered.
Murray Cod - IUCN Conservation Status: Critically Endangered
A Lumpy Problem!
One of our Ridge Tailed Monitors is visiting us from our temporary construction housing. As a lumpy right leg and lumpy neck was found on one of his weekly health checks by Mike, Dr Narelle took a tiny sample from the lump.
The local Lilydale Veterinary Clinic was happy to help and Dr Narelle stained the sample. Looking under the microscope, the lump was diagnosed as an infection or abscess.
Our little monitor will be having further tests this coming week!
Narelle Price