April 21, 2020 — Starting today, Miami’s Jungle Island is offering several ways in which the public can include a real-life animal at their next virtual meet-up, including Zoo(m)eeting, monkey Hangouts, Goat-To-Meeting and Flamingle Houseparty.
To invite an animal a virtual group chat, the cost is a $100 flat-fee which includes educational animal fun facts, along with a choice between a baby capuchin monkey, a giant Aldabra tortoise, a pink flamingo or a goat on a popular video conferencing and/or social network channel, such as Zoom, Google Hangouts, GoToMeeting and Houseparty. 100% sales will go back to feeding, enriching and caring for Jungle Island’s animal family. Email jhauwelaert@jungleisland.com to coordinate a special animal appearance at your next virtual meet-up.
“There is nothing like animal therapy to brighten someone’s mood especially while having to social distance and work-from-home,” says Curtis Crider, Jungle Island’s president and managing director. “We look forward to educating the public about various animal species and to being the life of the party at virtual work meetings and happy hours.”
For homebound kids and adults, Jungle Island also offers a weekly Facebook LIVE #ChatswithChatfield with its popular veterinarian, Dr. Jason Chatfield, at 3:30 p.m. every Thursday. Additionally, children ages 5 to 12 years old can participate in educational online assignments, posted at 11 a.m. each weekday (Monday-Friday), on the park’s Facebook or Instagram pages. Themes and projects each week range from making an alligator out of an egg crate for Everglades Exploration, to building a nest while learning about birds during Spread Your Wings, and more. Education Manager Emma Guss leads the virtual learning exercises and has designated Tuesdays and Thursdays as “homework” days. Parents can find the assignments at www.jungleisland.com/homeschool and can email Guss with questions at education@jungleisland.com.
From inspiring field trips and overnight expeditions that encourage interest in nature and wildlife discovery to unique teacher professional development, STEM education and outreach programs, Jungle Island is a valuable resource for interactive and sensory-based learning. The park is temporarily closed to the public due to the global coronavirus crisis. For updates, follow @jungleisland on social media or visit www.jungleisland.com.